SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — A bill aimed at clearing a path for recipients of a federal immigration program to become police officers — and at the same time helping departments that say they are struggling with recruitment — is moving forward with bipartisan support in the Illinois Legislature, but only after being amended to make clear that potential hires need to get federal approval to carry a gun.
Federal law generally bars noncitizens from carrying guns unless it’s for “official use,” meaning police officers who are not U.S. citizens would not be allowed to carry the weapons off-duty, according to a spokesperson for the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
That presents a problem even for a co-sponsor of the bill, who said cops need guns when off-duty for personal safety as well as to provide greater public security.
