Illinois Residents Seek to Form New State, Citing Chicago's Influence

Frustrated residents in parts of Illinois are pursuing a movement to create a new state, arguing that the influence of Chicago and Cook County overshadows the concerns of the rest of Illinois. The group Illinois Separation is leading the effort, which will place non-binding referendums before voters in 11 counties and several townships in November.

Loret Newlin, director of Illinois Separation, stated that residents outside the Chicago area feel their perspectives are not considered in state governance, leading to laws that disproportionately benefit Chicago and Cook County. She cited a proposed per-mile tax as an example, which she believes would unfairly impact rural residents, farmers, and truckers who rely on transportation and lack access to public transit options available in the city.

"Our area is not taken into consideration when laws are made," Newlin said. "There's definitely more focus on them, and the laws are centered to benefit Chicago and Cook [County]."

Newlin also expressed dissatisfaction with Illinois' SAFE-T Act, a law enacted in 2021 that eliminated cash bail. She suggested the law favors criminals and is negatively impacting Chicago. Democratic Governor JB Pritzker signed the SAFE-T Act into law. Pritzker's office has previously dismissed the separation movement as a "stunt" unlikely to occur.

The effort to form a new state invokes Article IV, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution, the same provision that allowed for the creation of West Virginia in 1863. The referendums are designed to gauge public support for exploring separation from Cook County. The movement has faced opposition from the governor's office, which has publicly stated that the separation is not feasible.