CHICAGO — State Senator Robert Peters is calling on the federal administration to resolve the ongoing government shutdown to prevent the cessation of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits, come Nov. 1. Nearly two million Illinois residents rely on SNAP to provide basic nutrition for themselves and their families.

“The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that, with the federal government remaining shutdown, no SNAP benefits will be issued on Nov. 1,” said Peters (D-Chicago). “This is devastating news not just for my constituents – including over 17,000 children and 9,000 seniors – but for every single one of the 42 million Americans who rely on these benefits for access to nutritional food.”

SNAP provides critical support for children, seniors, veterans and individuals with disabilities, offering the nutrition they need to live healthy, productive lives. The federal government shutdown – exacerbated by the administration’s unwillingness to compromise on critical funding needed for various programs – threatens to halt these benefits immediately, putting millions at risk of food insecurity, including the 50,329 people in the district Peters represents who rely on SNAP benefits.

CHICAGO — State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago) released the following statement in response to today’s federal activity at 105th and Avenue N. in Chicago’s Southeast Side:

“Once again, lawless federal agents have wreaked havoc in a Chicago neighborhood today, and, once again, residents gathered to make it clear to the masked agents they are not welcome to terrorize people in our community.

“I am in touch with city officials and legal aid to ensure the estimated nine community members who were abducted by ICE agents today in the Southeast Side have representation and their families are supported, and I will share any additional information about this incident as I receive it.”  

CHICAGO — Early in the morning of Oct. 1, while residents across Chicago slept, federal agents employed by Border Patrol, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives raided a South Shore Chicago apartment building located at 7500 S. Shore Drive – arresting 37 people and unconstitutionally detaining American citizens who live in the building for hours. After conducting an onsite press conference with local community organizations the day of the raid, State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago) further released the following statement in response:

“The raid in South Shore represents a dangerous escalation from this federal administration to use our Black and Brown communities as military training grounds in their terror-based campaign.”

“These militarized raids are traumatic experiences that shatter the lives of families, instill fear in our children and shred the very foundation of our constitutional rights. We are talking about everyday working people – grandparents, parents and children – who will live with the trauma of this brutality for the rest of their lives. These are our neighbors, our colleagues and our friends who had the doors ripped off their homes, their personal possessions stolen and their rights violated.”

“The answer to public safety isn’t doubling down on harmful militarized stunts that violate our residents’ constitutional rights and sense of safety in their own homes. Public safety is investing in the people in our communities – in our health care, in our education and in our workforce. 

“I stand with my South Side neighbors who demand answers, accountability and respect from this federal administration. The time to act is now, and we demand an end to inhumane, authoritarian attacks on our residents. This goes beyond being a fight for justice – this is a fight to preserve our humanity and our solidarity in the face of such brutality.”

CHICAGO — State Senator Robert Peters secured $108 million to build and repair infrastructure in Chicago’s lakefront neighborhoods.

“These infrastructure projects will directly benefit our state’s economy, creating jobs in construction, manufacturing and skilled trades,” said Peters (D-Chicago), chair of the Illinois Senate Labor Committee. “When our residents have access to good-paying jobs, we foster prosperity in our neighborhoods – providing paths to wealth-building, improving public health and creating a more resilient economy where everyone can thrive.”

The largest multi-year program to build and repair infrastructure in state history will invest $50.6 billion over six years, continuing an unprecedented investment in safety, mobility and quality of life made possible by the bipartisan Rebuild Illinois capital program. IDOT’s new multi-year program is both comprehensive and multimodal, with investments in roads and bridges, aviation, transit, freight and passenger rail, waterways, and bicycle and pedestrian accommodations touching every Illinois county.