DOJ Accuses Chicago of 'Thwarting' Immigration Laws

The Trump administration sued Chicago on Thursday alleging that "sanctuary" laws in the nation's third-largest city "thwart" federal efforts to enforce immigration laws. The Justice Department lawsuit, which also names the State of Illinois, is the latest effort to act against places that limit cooperation between federal immigration agents and local police, the AP reports. It follows the federal government's threats of criminal charges and federal funding cuts to what are known as sanctuary cities.

• "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," according to the lawsuit filed in Chicago's federal court.

• President Trump has often singled out Chicago and Illinois, which have some of the nation's strongest protections for immigrants. Top administration officials last month visited the city to launch stepped-up immigration enforcement and showcased footage of "border czar" Tom Homan making arrests on live television.
• Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has defended the city's sanctuary laws. He and other mayors plan to testify next month at a congressional hearing on sanctuary cities.
• Hours after new Attorney General Pam Bondi was sworn in Wednesday, she launched the administration's latest salvo against sanctuary cities, ordering an end to Department of Justice grants for jurisdictions that "unlawfully interfere with federal law enforcement."

• Courts, however, have repeatedly upheld the legality of the range of sanctuary laws. The laws do not allow local law enforcement to actively interfere with federal operations. The first Trump White House also tried to deny public safety grants to sanctuary jurisdictions, but courts also largely rejected those attempts.
• Illinois Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker, one of Trump's most vocal critics, said the state has always complied with the law. "Unlike Donald Trump, Illinois follows the law," Pritzker's office said in a statement. Last month, the governor said he would "stand in the way" of Trump orders that were unconstitutional or violated federal law.

(More Chicago stories.)