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A man seeking asylum in the United States claims he Chicago casino refuses to pay out winnings over $1,000 because of his immigration status.
The man asked to remain anonymous. tell cbs He won the jackpot on a slot machine at Bally’s pop-up casino in the city’s River North neighborhood, with winnings usually taking just minutes to be paid out.
“I’ve been a regular since they opened and I believe I’ve won 11 times in the past and never had any issues,” he said.
The man, whose lucky move happened more than a week ago on December 20, has yet to receive the money and said no explanation had been provided.
He said he showed the casino his ID, an expired REAL ID issued to immigrants like him. In Illinois, asylum seekers can obtain such identification with appropriate documentation.
The identification document is valid for the period of the individual’s authorized stay in the United States
“This time, however, they decided not to pay me back because my ID has an expiry date and I’ve always had it,” the man told CBS, adding that he would be charged $1,250. “It means a lot … especially now during the holidays,” he said.
The man has since continued his dispute with Bally over his winnings.
“Knowing that our state and our cities are protecting all these immigrants and stuff, and then they’re like… it feels like discrimination and that’s it,” he added.
independent Bally’s Casino has been contacted for comment.
The move comes after the Justice Department filed a lawsuit against Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker on Monday over a new state law aimed at protecting immigrants in courthouses, hospitals and day care centers.
Pritzker signed a series of laws earlier this month that ban civil arrests in and around courthouses across the state and require hospitals, day care centers and public universities to develop procedures for handling civil immigration actions and protecting personal information.
The laws, which take effect immediately, also provide legal measures for people whose constitutional rights have been violated during federal law enforcement actions in the Chicago area, including $10,000 in damages for people unlawfully arrested while trying to participate in court proceedings.