By GREG BISHOP
Illinois Radio Network
CHICAGO, Ill. (IRN) — The Trump administration is taking Illinois and Chicago to court over migrant sanctuary policies and members of the Illinois General Assembly from both sides aren’t surprised.
The lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice Thursday asked a judge to declare the state and local laws shielding non-citizens from federal authorities unconstitutional under the federal government’s supremacy clause.
“Under these laws, state officers are explicitly prohibited from complying with immigration detainers or civil immigration warrants; they are also prevented from entering into agreements to detain noncitizens for federal civil immigration violations,” according to the complaint.
Illinois state Rep. Blaine Wilhour, R-Beecher City, praised the move.
“God Bless Attorney General Pam Bondi and President [Donald] Trump for following through on a campaign promise,” Wilhour told The Center Square. “This isn’t a surprise.”
State Rep. Edgar González, Jr., D-Chicago, said he fully expects the state and Chicago to continue to stand up to President Trump.
“The only thing it does is it creates fear, it creates panic, but Chicago, Illinois, everybody was already expecting it,” González told The Center Square. “We expected DOJ, we expected the Trump administration to try to sue us because all they’re trying to do right now is make a point.”
The lawsuit specifically mentions Illinois laws like the TRUST Act, which prohibits local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration officials looking to enforce immigration laws against illegal immigrants, and the Illinois Way Forward Act, which further amends the TRUST Act to “add additional requirements and protections,” according to the Illinois Attorney General’s Office.
As one of her first official actions, Bondi issued a memo ordering the end of funding to state and local jurisdictions “that unlawfully interfere with federal law enforcement operations.”
“Sanctuary jurisdictions should not receive access to federal grants administered by the Department of Justice,” Wednesday’s memo said. “Additionally, to the extent consistent with applicable statutes, regulation, and terms, the Department may seek to tailor future grants to promote a lawful system of immigration, and to reduce efforts by state and local jurisdictions to undermine a lawful system of immigration.”
González said the move to withhold federal DOJ funds from Illinois and Chicago is “completely irresponsible.”
“Illinois is a donor state, you know, the federal government relies on our tax revenue,” he said. “If they do things like this, it really doesn’t make it a compelling case for Illinois to help contribute in that way to the federal government.”
Wilhour said taxpayers can’t afford to pay for illegal immigrants living in sanctuary jurisdictions.
“The withholding funds is the only thing that’s gonna get those folks’ attention,” Wilhour said. “This is really easy. We can solve this tomorrow. End the sanctuary state status.”
