The Trump administration has filed suit against the state of Illinois, Cook County and the city of Chicago, arguing their sanctuary laws “interfere” with Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s ability to arrest and deport illegal migrants — the first of many such lawsuits to come, Justice Department officials told The Post.
The suit singles out several state and local laws that the Justice Department identifies as inhibiting the federal government’s ability to enforce US immigration law.
“We’ve identified Illinois, the city of Chicago and Cook County as all having laws and ordinances on the books that impede federal immigration enforcement, in particular the Chicago Welcoming ordinance, the Illinois Trust Act,” a DOJ official said.
Both cited ordinances directly reference tying the hands of federal immigration officials.
The Illinois Trust Act, signed into law in 2017, reads in part that “State law does not currently grant State or local law enforcement the authority to enforce federal civil immigration laws.”
Chicago’s Welcoming City ordinance, passed in 2012 by then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel, includes even more emphatic language, stating, “No agency or agent shall: arrest, detain or continue to detain a person solely on the belief that the person is not present legally in the United States,” among other provisions.
According to the suit, the local laws contradict federal laws that “prohibit state and local governments from refusing to share information,” as well as “restrict local governments from sharing immigration information with federal law enforcement officials,” which it claims prevents ICE and the Department of Homeland Security from identifying “individuals who may be subject to removal.”
The suit also notes that the named jurisdictions “refuse to cooperate with detainers,” adding, “so instead of handing over people who are in prison or in jail to federal immigration authorities they will just let folks go.”
The official goes on to call the ongoing illegal immigration crackdown “an all-hands-on-deck approach” to supporting President Trump’s immigration priorities, adding that the lawsuit itself is “one tool in our toolbelt” to ensuring the laws are enforced.
“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 said, noting the case could ultimately land with the Supreme Court.
“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,” they added.
“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.”
A second DOJ official said it’s “no coincidence” that the suit was filed on Attorney General Pam Bondi’s first day on the job.
“She is right out of the gate sending a clear message to other sanctuary jurisdictions.”
Bondi, meanwhile, warned the leaders of other progressive sanctuary cities that “you will be next.”
“For too long, leaders in Illinois and Chicago have abused their power by putting the comfort of illegal aliens over the safety and welfare of their own citizens. This ends today. The Department of Justice will no longer stand by as state and local leaders obstruct federal law enforcement efforts, endangering their citizens and the brave men and women in uniform,” Bondi said in a statement to The Post.
“If you are a leader of a state or local jurisdiction that obstructs or impedes federal law enforcement, you will be next.”
The Justice official also said the department is gearing up to pursue additional legal action aimed at forcing compliance with federal law.
“I don’t think this will be the last one that we file.”
Trump’s bulldog border czar Tom Homan has sharply criticized sanctuary cities — Chicago in particular — for their efforts to evade federal law.
“Sanctuary cities are making it very difficult to arrest criminals. For instance, Chicago, very well-educated, they’ve been educated … how to defy ICE, how to hide from ICE,” he told CNN.
“They call it ‘Know Your Rights.’ I call it ‘how to escape arrest.’ There’s a warrant for your arrest — they tell you how to hide from ICE,” he added.
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