Democratic state lawmakers on Wednesday condemned aggressive immigration raids that in recent weeks have resulted in violent clashes between federal agents and protestors in the Chicago region — but it remains uncertain whether their words will translate to legislative action during the fall session.

“History will judge those who are silent in this moment, and we’re going to speak up today,” House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, told reporters outside his Capitol office. “We’re going to stand up for our democracy, and that’s our plan for today.”

Lawmakers returned to the Capitol this week for their annual fall veto session with an already extensive agenda that included reform of the state’s public transportation agencies and addressing soaring energy costs and grid reliability

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