Will County Gazette

Senate District 19 candidate Samantha Gasca has called for comprehensive information regarding illegal immigrants, urging Gov. J.B. Pritzker to provide detailed data on those entering the state.

Gasca emphasized the need for information such as the total number of individuals who have crossed the border illegally, health screenings, criminal background checks, tracking of their whereabouts and legislative measures to keep the public informed.

“We the People of Illinois must band together and rise up to demand our leader/governor inform us thoroughly regarding the illegal immigration issue,” Gasca said on Facebook.

“Some excellent/quality data we might like to see would be things such as: 1) Total number of peoples who have crossed the border illegally— federally, state-wide, and within/around local municipalities; 2) Have they been screened for sickness, especially Covid?; 3) What is the status of their criminal background checks (If any have been reviewed)?; 4) Have we tracked their whereabouts including location of residence (e.g., in case we find out someone is a sex offender or sex/drug/arms trafficker), 5) Do we have legislature imagined going forward to make sure neighbors are informed, and 6) Are we checking their luggage, like all must even submit to in order to fly?”

“During Covid, Mr. Pritzker held what may have been daily briefings providing large sums of data. However in a particularly ‘touchy’ bipartisan situation politically, there is much silence. PR move? Out of touch? Lack of concern for what the majority of the state wants, as opposed to the desire to drive forward personal agendas?”

“We Illinoisans should be aware when undocumented peoples— here illegally— are living in our neighborhoods… could this tracking system be wise for such reasons as we might track potential traffickers, drug distributors, predators, thievery, etc.? Parents should be informed when their children are among/being exposed and indoctrinated with anti-American rhetoric.”

“We have a right to know how much we are spending to house those who are not tax paying citizens… tax dollars skyrocketing and pension funds going deduct, yet we are playing political games with people’s lives. Absolutely terrible.”

There are significant concerns from many that the tens of thousands illegal immigrants entering the state have not had appropriate background checks.

Pat Gibbons, a Chicago activist, recently echoed Gasca's concerns in a press conference, emphasizing the potential health risks associated with the migrant influx.

He pointed to reported cases of scabies and measles in police districts where undocumented immigrants have sought shelter.

Gibbons underscored the need for a thorough vetting process and proper background checks for individuals entering the city.

Highlighting the situation with Venezuela, he expressed worry about individuals being released from jails and arriving in Chicago.

“The fact is,Venezuela is emptying the jails, crossing the southern border illegally and coming into Chicago,” Gibbons said.

Despite the city's welcoming nature, Gibbons noted that the community feels uneasy due to the lack of information about these newcomers, emphasizing the paramount importance of knowing the members of their community, especially for the safety of children.

“We are a loving people. At the end of the day, we accept all people. But the neighborhood, the community feels unsafe because we simply do not know who they are. But we know who our children are,” Gibbons said.

Ammon Blair, a former US Border Patrol agent, revealed an extensive network operated by Mexican drug cartels and criminal smugglers in producing fake documents for immigrants, contributing to rising child labor and human trafficking issues in the United States, according to Federal News Wire.

Blair highlighted that cartels create counterfeit State Identification cards, Driver's Licenses and steal American Social Security Numbers (SSNs), selling these fraudulent documents to illegal aliens.

Blair pointed out that cartels exploit the vulnerabilities of the Southern border, engaging in the production of fake documents for Unidentified Alien Children (UACs), contributing to child labor and human trafficking problems in the United States.

Despite efforts by Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) to confiscate counterfeit IDs, the prevalence of this criminal activity persists, with significant challenges in verifying the accurate identification of individuals involved.

Meanwhile a record-high number of individuals, 160 in total, listed on the terror watchlist were stopped from entering the US illegally at its borders by Sept. 2023, according to government statistics reported by the New York Post.

This marks a significant increase from the previous year's 98 apprehensions.

The identities of those on the watchlist are closely guarded to avoid diplomatic incidents, tip-offs to terrorists and cartels, or retribution, citing national security threats.

The surge in attempts to cross the US borders by individuals on the watchlist has been noted since President Joe Biden took office, with concerns about terrorists and criminal actors exploiting the complex security environment.

Despite the record numbers, government officials emphasize that encounters with known or suspected terrorists at the southern border remain uncommon, representing less than 0.01% of total encounters in recent years.

Gasca has a diverse background spanning radio, counseling and business.

Since March 2018, she has been actively engaged as the Radio Program Content Coordinator and Data Analyst at Moody Radio.

Gasca also owns and operates God Heard LLC, a multifaceted platform established in July 2021. Through this venture, she offers pastoral counseling, life coaching, and business consulting services, thereby expanding her influence in these interconnected fields.

Senate District 19 includes all or parts of Lockport, New Lenox, Mokena, Orland Park, Tinley Park, Frankfort, Frankfort Square, Homer Glen, Joliet, Richton Park, University Park, Matteson, Homewood, Flossmoor, Park Forest, Olympia Fields, Country Club Hills, Hazel Crest, Markham and Oak Forest.

District 19 is currently being represented by Michael Hastings (D-Frankfort).