Beyond Legal Aid executive director Lam Ho and Era Laudermilk from the Cook County Public Defender’s office advocated for a bill Wednesday that would allow the public defender to represent non-citizens.

A Senate committee on Wednesday advanced a proposal that would formally let the Cook County Public Defender’s office represent non-citizens in immigration cases.

The bill (HB 2790) comes after the Cook County Public Defender’s office launched a new Immigration Unit late last year. Funded through a private-public partnership between Cook County and the JB and MK Pritzker Family Foundation, the unit seeks to ensure clients are fully informed of potential immigration consequences during criminal cases.