Judge dismisses Trump administration lawsuit against Chicago ‘sanctuary’ laws

CHICAGO AP A judge in Illinois dismissed a Trump administration lawsuit Friday that sought to disrupt limits Chicago imposes on cooperation between federal immigration agents and local police Related Articles Longtime lawmaker shapes the debate as Arizona grapples with dwindling water supplies Democrats and advocates criticize Trump s executive order on homelessness House ethics panel tells Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to pay more for Met Gala attendance Judge blocks Trump s birthright citizenship restrictions in third ruling since high court decision FACT FOCUS Trump proposes cashless bail increases crime but content is inconclusive The lawsuit filed in February alleged that so-called sanctuary laws in the nation s third-largest city thwart federal efforts to enforce immigration laws It argued that local laws run counter to federal laws by restricting local governments from sharing immigration information with federal law enforcement representatives and preventing immigration agents from identifying individuals who may be subject to removal Judge Lindsay Jenkins of the Northern District of Illinois granted the defendants motion for dismissal Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson stated he was pleased with the decision and the city is safer when police focus on the necessities of Chicagoans This ruling affirms what we have long known that Chicago s Welcoming City Ordinance is lawful and supports citizens safety The City cannot be compelled to cooperate with the Trump Administration s reckless and inhumane immigration agenda he disclosed in a announcement Gov JB Pritzker welcomed the ruling saying in a social media post Illinois just beat the Trump Administration in federal court The Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Guard and did not right now respond to messages seeking comment The administration has filed a series of lawsuits targeting state or city policies seen as interfering with immigration enforcement including those in Los Angeles New York City Denver and Rochester New York It sued four New Jersey cities in May Heavily Democratic Chicago has been a sanctuary city for decades and has beefed up its laws several times including during Trump s first term in That same year then-Gov Bruce Rauner a Republican signed more statewide sanctuary protections into law putting him at odds with his party There is no official definition for sanctuary policies or sanctuary cities The terms generally describe limits on local cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement ICE enforces U S immigration laws nationwide but sometimes seeks state and local help