East Central Reporter

Chris Miller, a representative for Illinois' State House District 101, said that Kelly Loeffler, the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA), has prioritized rebuilding the SBA into an "America First engine for free enterprise by empowering small businesses and fueling economic growth." He made this statement in a Facebook post dated March 15.

"Kelly Loeffler's priority is to rebuild the Small Business Administration into an America First engine for free enterprise – by empowering small businesses and fueling economic growth and uphold the highest standards of accountability, performance, and integrity, where taxpayer dollars will be safeguarded, not squandered," said Miller, State Representative, according to Facebook. "This is commonsense- Pritzker needs to END free healthcare for illegals and I think every Illinois citizen would agree."

Miller's Facebook post led to an article from The Center Square announcing the closure of six SBA offices in cities across the United States—Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, New York City, and Seattle. These closures are reportedly due to their status as sanctuary cities. According to the article published on March 13, the removal of offices from these locations aims to prevent illegal foreign nationals from receiving assistance and funding from SBA offices. Loeffler said that programs funded by American citizens should benefit only American citizens. Additionally, the SBA is implementing rule changes requiring citizenship verification for SBA loan applications.

Screenshot of State Representative Chris Miller's March 15 Facebook post | State Representative Chris Miller's Facebook page

According to an NBC 5 Chicago report on March 7, mayors from four sanctuary cities testified before the U.S. House Oversight and Government Reform Committee regarding their policies limiting cooperation between local police and federal immigration enforcement. Participants included Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, New York Mayor Eric Adams, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, and Denver Mayor Mike Johnston. Johnson said that mischaracterizations and fear-mongering could not obscure the fact that crime is declining in Chicago. State law prevents police from cooperating with federal immigration efforts in civil cases; in Chicago, city officials are prohibited from inquiring about immigration status or denying services based on it.

A Chicago Sun-Times article noted that the SBA office in Springfield is not included among those closing. In addition to citing sanctuary city status as a reason for closures, the SBA indicated that these offices would move to "less costly, more accessible locations."

Chris Miller was first elected to the Illinois State House of Representatives in 2019 and is a native of Illinois. A third-generation cattle farmer and grain operator residing in Hindsboro, he owns a large farm in northern Coles County. Miller earned an associate degree in agriculture from Lake Land College and holds a Bachelor of Science in Education according to his official biography.