Is there something in the air?

Indiana’s Senate passed a bill, which already cleared the Indiana House, that would begin the process of absorbing Illinois counties that wish to break away from Cook County and Chicago.

The bill now heads to Gov. Mike Braun to be signed into law.

[...]

The legislation would create the “Indiana-Illinois Boundary Adjustment Commission” to redraw state lines to incorporate 33 rural Illinois counties that have passed non-binding referendums to split from the state.

Voters in those Illinois counties say they want to separate from Chicago and Cook County, saying voters in urban areas hold an outsized voice in Illinois politics, where Democrats hold a supermajority in the statehouse.

To annex the counties into Indiana and redraw the state’s borders, the process would have to include both Illinois legislature and Congress.

[...]

“Believe it or not, many of our constituents think this is a joke. They seriously think the General Assembly has more important policies to deal with, rather than sending political signals,” said Qaddoura (D-Indianapolis). “I’m proud of Indiana. I’m proud to be a resident of Indiana. I’m a proud legislator … I want my focus to continue to be that, not sending political messages to other states.”

[...]

“It’s a stunt. It’s not going to happen,” Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said in January. Pritzker would ultimately have to approve the secession plan.

  My Stateline.com

I don't know all the possible drawbacks, but I say let them go.