A veto from Governor Bruce Rauner means undocumented students at the University of Illinois are not eligible for certain leadership roles. Students at each of the three campuses — in Chicago, Springfield, and Urbana — elect one of their peers to serve as a student member on U of I’s Board of Trustees. 

A student interested in running for the job was disqualified. He was an immigrant without legal status. That led Senator Iris Martinez to pass legislation easing the requirements to be considered an “Illinois resident.” But Rauner vetoed the bill, saying the U of I is a public school, supported by taxpayers, so having an in-state student on the board of trustees is a priority. 

Senator Martinez says she’ll work to override the veto, but that would require at least 10 lawmakers to reverse their original position on the proposal.