By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – The governor Tuesday signed a pair of bills meant to help young immigrants.

The first new law, says Gov. Pritzker, stabilizes families.

“As long as Washington is dominated by a philosophy that threatens Illinois families, we can and we will give parents the dignity of knowing their children are in trusted hands, allowing them to name a short-term guardian in the case of their own detention or deportation,” Pritzker said at a Chicago event. “The second piece of legislation creates a pathway for undocumented youth who have experienced great trauma to secure residency.”

Pritzker says that puts state law in line with what’s already on federal books.

The sponsor of the first bill, State Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (D-Glenview), drew upon her own experience:

“I am the granddaughter of undocumented Chinese immigrants who faced discrimination and deportation under the Chinese exclusion acts. I would not be here today without the courage of advocates who stood with my family to challenge the injustice of race-based immigration laws.”

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]