Nabeela Syed and Darby Hills differ on immigration enforcement and data centers

Democratic state Rep. Nabeela Syed and Republican state Sen. Darby Hills have different approaches to immigration enforcement and data-center development in their race for Illinois' 26th Senate District, the Daily Herald reported on Oct. 27. The election is Nov. 3.

Syed supports Illinois' immigration protections and says state and local police should not enforce federal civil immigration law. In her response to the newspaper's questionnaire, she described families in Wauconda afraid to leave home because of ICE raids, with parents missing work and children missing school. She said Congress must pass immigration reform.

Hills says local police should not become immigration agents, but supports a narrow change allowing cooperation with federal authorities when a person has been charged with or convicted of a violent or serious felony.

On data centers, Syed supports Gov. JB Pritzker's pause on new tax incentives and the proposed POWER Act, which would address water use and support energy-assistance programs. Hills calls the pause reasonable but wants a moratorium of at least a year and stronger local control over new projects.

The district covers parts of Chicago's northwestern suburbs, including communities in Lake and McHenry counties. Hills is the incumbent senator; Syed currently represents the 51st House District.