With increasing political tensions in the United States following the re-election of President Donald Trump, some Americans have advocated for large changes in their communities.
Over 30 Illinois counties have become “good neighbors” with Indiana: so much so that Indiana House of Representatives Speaker Todd Huston authored an Indiana-Illinois boundary adjustment commission, welcoming parts of the Prairie State into Hoosier territory.
After November 2024’s election, seven additional Illinois counties expressed interest in secession, reflecting a growing sentiment among residents. A traditionally blue state, the political divide in Illinois only increased after Trump’s victory.
“Our state is very divided red and blue. Most of our state land-wise is red but population-wise with Chicago is blue. A political science professor, Dr. Shawn Healy, has a great quote calling Chicago ‘a blueberry in the sea of red punch,'” West Chicago Community High School social studies teacher John Chisholm said.
Some downstate residents of Illinois argue that they feel a lack of government representation, as southern rural counties tend to lean far on the conservative side. This disagreeance in political morals further pushed away certain areas from wanting to identify with the Democratic state.
“After the 2020 Census, Illinois lost a seat in the US House of Representatives. Democrats who control the Illinois government then successfully gerrymander[ed] the Illinois map and were able to reduce the traditionally red, Republican districts from four to three. The Democrats flipped three center leaning districts to blue districts. I think these actions likely frustrated downstate Republicans who already felt like their voices were not being heard,” Chisholm said.
Although the governmental divide is real, the actual implementation of the bill seems to be very far from its proposal, if even at all. According to Indiana Capital Chronicle, “Illinois would need to approve the move, alongside Indiana. Then, it’d head to the U.S. Congress for additional vetting. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat, said he’s not on board and called the Indiana bill ‘a stunt’ that is ‘not going to happen.'”
Some even thought Huston’s bill was just another light-hearted political joke until doing further research.
“I was initially surprised to hear this news a few weeks back when it was announced. I was reminded of the 2016 Presidential elections when some Republicans in Texas jokingly threatened to break away if Clinton won and some Democrats in California joking that they would break away if Trump won,” Chisholm said. “But when I read more about the southern Illinois counties, I realized they were pretty serious in their efforts. I do not think the proposals would actually pass as Illinois would not want to cede land and people to neighboring states.”
Additionally, not all residents of these southern counties agree with the secession, similar to how not everyone in the state of Illinois agrees with its traditionally left-wing politics, and even further, the United States as a whole.
“I think living in Effingham County is a perfect representation of the current divisiveness in the country. After what has happened since January 20, I have witnessed more people attending Democratic meetings. I have heard multiple people say they can no longer [watch] and sit back,” Effingham High School library clerk Cheryl Walker said. “I was happy to see that Democrats aren’t as big of a minority as what I thought. We are building a plan to start running candidates against the people wanting to join Indiana.”
Some residents see leaving the state as a economic sabotage, claiming that a secession requires much more research in order to go through and ensure that is the best decision.
“I thought the people supporting succession from Illinois as ignorant. They need to properly educate themselves on how Effingham and the surrounding area benefit from the revenue we get from the metropolitan areas of the state. I don’t think this talk is anymore than that, talk. It is a bunch of disgruntled, out of touch people who have nothing better to do than gripe,” Walker said.
Citizens from outside these counties have a similar outlook on a potential loss of their state, including West Chicago locals who believe different counties working together is the solution to these tensions.
“In my opinion, I believe it should be in our best interest for our state to stay together, to help us form better relations as a community. What’s the point of arguing to leave something if you’re still living in the same country under the same [national] rules? If you don’t have the same views as someone else, instead of using funds to separate yourself, bring [everyone] together and…compromise,” local high school sophomore Anthony Muniz-Regolledo said.
This story was originally published on Wildcat Chronicle on March 17, 2025.
