President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice has ramped up its efforts to dismantle sanctuary laws by filing a lawsuit on Thursday against Illinois, Cook County, and Chicago that alleges their policies “impede” federal immigration enforcement.
The complaint also named Governor J.B. Pritzker, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, and other local officials.
‘The conduct of officials in Chicago and Illinois minimally enforcing — and oftentimes affirmatively thwarting — federal immigration laws … has resulted in countless criminals being released.’
Specifically, the DOJ accused the Illinois TRUST Act, the Chicago Welcoming City ordinance, and the Way Forward Act of hindering Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s efforts to detain and deport illegal aliens.
The Illinois TRUST Act, signed into law in 2017, says, “State law does not currently grant State or local law enforcement the authority to enforce federal civil immigration laws.” It includes a “prohibition on enforcing federal civil immigration laws.”
“A law enforcement agency or law enforcement official shall not detain or continue to detain any individual solely on the basis of any immigration detainer or civil immigration warrant or otherwise comply with an immigration detainer or civil immigration warrant,” it reads.
Chicago’s Welcoming City ordinance was passed in 2012 by former Mayor Rahm Emanuel (D).
The ordinance states that city agencies and agents cannot “arrest, detain, or continue to detain a person solely on the belief that the person is not present legally in the United States.”
Both laws prevent local jurisdictions from honoring ICE detainers, which request that a criminal illegal alien currently in local custody be held up to 48 hours beyond their release date to allow immigration officials to safely transfer the individual to federal custody.
The Way Forward Act was enacted in 2021 and amended the TRUST Act to provide additional protection to illegal aliens. It states that “a law enforcement agency or law enforcement official may not inquire about or investigate the citizenship or immigration status or place of birth of any individual in the agency or official’s custody or who has otherwise been stopped or detained by the agency or official.”
The DOJ’s lawsuit claimed that the state and local laws are “designed to and in fact interfere with and discriminate against the Federal Government’s enforcement of federal immigration law in violation of the Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution.”
The agency further stated that the policies “obstruct the Federal Government’s enforcement of federal immigration law” and “impede consultation and communication between federal, state, and local law enforcement officials that is necessary for federal officials to carry out federal immigration law and keep Americans safe.”
It continued, “Upon information and belief, the conduct of officials in Chicago and Illinois minimally enforcing — and oftentimes affirmatively thwarting — federal immigration laws over a period of years has resulted in countless criminals being released into Chicago who should have been held for immigration removal from the United States.”
The complaint accused sanctuary jurisdictions of effectively being “safe havens” for criminal illegal aliens seeking to evade federal law enforcement agents.
It argued that the laws prevent ICE and the Department of Homeland Security from identifying illegal aliens who are subject to removal by restricting the information local governments can share with federal agents. The DOJ contended that such local laws contradict federal laws that “prohibit state and local governments from refusing to share information.”
A DOJ official told the New York Post that the administration’s immigration enforcement effort includes “an all-hands-on-deck approach,” noting that the lawsuit is “one tool in our tool belt.”
“This lawsuit will put the spotlight on obstruction by state and local officials and their refusal to support the administration and compliance with the law. The law says people who are here illegally are not allowed to stay here; they should be deported. So we want to make sure those impediments are taken away,” the official told the news outlet.
“These states and localities advertise themselves as sanctuary jurisdictions. They are inviting people here who are illegal, and they’re promising to protect them from federal law enforcement,” the official continued. “That’s inconsistent with federal law, and it’s impeding federal law enforcement efforts, and these laws need to be struck from the books because they’re incentivizing illegal immigration into the country.”
The DOJ anticipates that the lawsuit may go all the way to the Supreme Court, the official added.
During Attorney General Pam Bondi’s first day on the job, she directed the DOJ to halt federal funding to sanctuary cities.
The DOJ official told the Post that it was “no coincidence” that the lawsuit was filed shortly after Bondi’s swearing-in.
“She is right out of the gate sending a clear message to other sanctuary jurisdictions,” the official stated.
Pritzker’s office responded to the lawsuit, stating, “Unlike Donald Trump, Illinois follows the law. The bipartisan Illinois TRUST Act, signed into law by a Republican governor, has always been compliant with federal law and still is today. Illinois will defend our laws that prioritize police resources for fighting crime while enabling state law enforcement to assist with arresting violent criminals. Instead of working with us to support law enforcement, the Trump administration is making it more difficult to protect the public, just like they did when Trump pardoned the convicted January 6 violent criminals. We look forward to seeing them in court.”
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle stated that the county plans to “fight back.”
“We will pursue every legal opportunity to defend the programs that we believe in and defend our values,” Preckwinkle said.
Johnson’s office did not respond to requests for comment from The Hill or Newsweek.
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News, Donald trump, Trump, Department of justice, Doj, Pam bondi, Chicago, Illinois, Cook county, J.b. pritzker, Jb pritzker, Brandon johnson, Sanctuary cities, Sanctuary jurisdictions, Sanctuary policies, Sanctuary laws, Politics
