CHICAGO – Teachers and students will have extra support during the COVID-19 crisis thanks to an education package championed by State Senator Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) that was signed into law on Thursday.

“These changes will help students and teachers to overcome the new challenges they face during the pandemic,” Villanueva said. “As we move forward, we must find new ways to ensure that students are able to maintain a path to success in their education.”

Read more: New education laws will help students succeed as remote learning continues

CHICAGO – After the U.S. Supreme Court voted to uphold the Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy, State Senator Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) released the following statement:

“DACA allows hundreds of thousands of people to access the things they need to provide for their families. The Supreme Court made the right decision by allowing DACA recipients to continue to be protected under the law.

“’DACAmented’ people are hard-working taxpayers who are American in everything but on paper. Now that DACA has been upheld by the Supreme Court, national leaders must take further action to give all undocumented people a permanent path toward citizenship so they can no longer be used as political leverage for immigration debate.”

CHICAGO – State Senator Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) celebrated a historic election package that expands the state’s vote by mail program for the 2020 General Election.

“Access to the ballot is a fundamental right,” Villanueva said. “Expanding vote by mail will allow voters to participate in our democracy while taking necessary precautions during this public health crisis.”

Read more: Villanueva: Vote by mail needs to be made permanent

CHICAGO – A new cash assistance program will provide financial support to Chicago residents who were excluded from federal stimulus aid, State Senator Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) announced.

“Federal stimulus packages systematically excluded mixed-status families,” Villanueva said. “This new fund covers those who were left behind and makes sure that everyone, regardless of status, gets the help they need.”

Read more: New fund offers $1,000 to Chicagoans excluded from federal COVID-19 aid