EXTRA: Will immigration issue provoke 'civil war' amongst GOPers

Gov. Bruce Rauner followed through on his rhetoric of last week, using Monday to sign into law the Trust Act – a measure limiting the ability of local police across the state to get involved in the enforcement of federal immigration law.

KELLY: Rauner 'betrays' Illinoisans?

Rauner even went so far as to venture into the Little Village neighborhood for a bill-signing ceremony; which ensured he was surrounded by many Mexican-American activist types who have long been anxious for such legal protections from police harassment.

BUT THE CONSERVATIVE ideologue-types are upset. They’re the kind who want government officials who are eager to harass so-called “foreigners” who “don’t belong” in this country. Many of them aren’t too concerned about the niceties of the law or the details of a person’s ethnic origins.

Party regulars willing to defend Rauner

Such as William Kelly, a Chicago Republican (Yes, they exist) who is talking up himself as a gubernatorial challenger in the GOP primary come March. He claims Rauner has “betrayed” Illinois residents and “has made Illinois a sanctuary for criminals, drug dealers and gang members.” Kelly also said Rauner, “has turned the state of Illinois into Chicago, America’s murder capital.”

That latter statement is so over-the-top as to be absurd. Particularly for those people who take the homicide rate literally – Chicago isn’t even the worst in the Midwest (St. Louis and Detroit have higher rates, while other cities such as Baltimore and New Orleans also exceed the Second City).

Not that it really matters much what Kelly says. He wants attention (I suspect most would-be voters don’t have a clue who he is, and would say that even if he gets on the primary ballot, Rauner is still running unopposed because it is difficult to call Kelly a credible candidate). He’s desperate for it!

BUT SOME WITHIN the Republican political structure must be concerned. Because the party managed to issue their own statement, quoting all kinds of law enforcement officials who claim that the Trust Act isn’t a big deal to them. In fact, the party got their statement to me through e-mail about a half hour before the governor’s statement confirming he actually signed the bill into law.

RAUNER: Will issue be key in '18 campaign?

The political party wants us to believe only the Democrats have a mess of candidates to pick from, while the GOP is solidly behind Bruce. Which may or may not be true. We’ll have to wait and see if Rauner can successfully portray a pol who cares one whit about urban issues.

Particularly after spending the past two years bashing the city about every chance he gets. “It breaks my heart to see the senseless violence going on in our streets, especially when that violence is inflicted on innocent children,” the governor said. “We need to prioritize our resources for the prevention of violent crime.”

Are you buying it?

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