LaSalle County resolution draws criticism amid debate over lawmaker’s Sharia bill
(The Center Square) – An Illinois lawmaker is defending legislation aimed at preventing foreign legal systems from overriding constitutional rights, while an Illinois Family Institute contributor argues that a recent LaSalle County resolution condemning Sharia law could undermine legitimate scrutiny of a proposed Fox River resort development.
State Rep. John Cabello, R-Machesney Park, introduced House Bill 4165 in October 2025, seeking to prohibit Illinois courts and other legal bodies from enforcing foreign laws or legal provisions that violate rights guaranteed under the U.S. or Illinois constitutions.
Cabello said the measure was prompted by news reports about Sharia law in parts of London and his desire to prevent similar concerns from arising in Illinois.
“I wanted to make sure that we had something on the books that would show that not every single Illinoisan is in favor of this,” Cabello told The Center Square.
Cabello said he has not identified a specific Illinois court case in which Sharia law was applied in violation of constitutional rights, describing his legislation as preemptive.
Asked whether he was concerned the proposal could be viewed as targeting Muslims, Cabello said, “I really don’t care if people think I’m targeting anybody.”
He said his priority was protecting the Constitution, adding that American service members “fought for the Constitution of the United States.”
The legislation has gained renewed attention amid debate over a LaSalle County Board resolution condemning Sharia law in connection with a proposed Muslim community and resort development near the Fox River.
Thomas Hampson, an Illinois Family Institute contributor who recently examined the issue in an article titled “One Law for Everyone,” said the board had legitimate grounds to scrutinize the development but focused on allegations he could not substantiate.
Hampson said concerns about the developer’s financing, zoning compliance, wastewater capacity, electrical infrastructure and stormwater runoff warranted closer examination.
“The things that we really could have done something about” should have been the focus, Hampson said.
He said he could not find documentation establishing that the proposed community would be governed by Sharia law or that its rules would be imposed on outsiders.
According to Hampson, the county’s resolution could complicate future enforcement efforts by creating evidence that officials were biased against Muslims.
Hampson said Muslims should be free to establish faith-centered communities as long as they comply with American law.
Cabello said he viewed the LaSalle County resolution favorably after learning about it.
Asked whether his bill would turn symbolic statements like the county resolution into enforceable statewide policy, Cabello answered, “Yes.”
However, Hampson argued that existing constitutional protections already prohibit government from allowing a religious legal system to supersede American law.
He said a state statute could reinforce those protections, provided it was written in a constitutional manner, but questioned the need for a resolution focused specifically on Sharia law without documented evidence that the proposed resort intended to impose it.
The Illinois Family Institute article argues that HB 4165 could provide protections for people who may face pressure to follow religious rules against their wishes, particularly women and children in family, divorce, custody or inheritance disputes. It contends that a state statute would be more consequential than a county resolution.
The bill’s language extends beyond Sharia law to other foreign laws and legal systems when their application would deny constitutionally protected rights. Its stated purpose is to prevent enforcement of legal decisions or agreements that conflict with those protections.
Cabello said he expects little movement on the proposal under the current Democratic legislative leadership.
Hampson also raised questions about the proposed developer’s financial backing and ability to complete the project. He said he had concerns about claims concerning the company’s investment resources and the apparent financial difficulties associated with a comparatively small escrow requirement.
Hampson stressed that his suspicions about the developer were not established findings and said he had not completed a full investigation into the company’s finances.
He said the county should have investigated those issues independently of the religious controversy.
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