A man seeking asylum in the U.S. claims he was denied over $1,000 of winnings at a Chicago casino because of his immigration status.
The man, who asked to remain anonymous, told CBS that he had won the jackpot on a slot machine at Bally’s temporary casino in the River North area of the city, the payout for which usually takes just minutes.
"I've been a regular since they opened, and I've won 11 jackpots, I believe, in the past and never had any problems," he said.
The man’s lucky play occurred over a week ago on December 20, he has yet to receive his money, and said no explanation has been provided.
He said that he presented the casino with his ID, which is a limited-term REAL ID that is issued to immigrants in his situation. In Illinois, such identification can be obtained by those seeking asylum with proper documentation.
The IDs are valid for the duration of the individual’s authorized stay in the U.S.
"This time, however, they decided to not pay off, because of my limited-term ID, and I've always had that kind of ID," the man told CBS, adding that he stood to collect $1,250. "It would mean a lot … especially now for the holidays," he said.
Since then the man has continued to argue with Bally’s over his winnings.
"Knowing that our state and our city is, like, protecting all these immigrants and stuff, and then they're just like ... it felt discriminatory, that's all," he added.
The Independent has reached out to Bally’s casino for comment.
It comes after the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit Monday against Illinois Governor JB Pritzker over new state laws aimed at protecting immigrants at courthouses, hospitals and day cares.
Pritzker signed a set of laws earlier this month that bans civil arrests at and around courthouses statewide and require hospitals, day care centers and public universities to have procedures for handling civil immigration operations and protecting personal information.
The laws, which took effect immediately, also provide legal steps for people whose constitutional rights were violated during the federal enforcement action in the Chicago area, including $10,000 in damages for someone unlawfully arrested while attempting to attend a court proceeding.
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