The Trump administration has filed a lawsuit seeking to block a new Illinois law that allows residents to sue federal immigration agents under certain circumstances.
The suit was filed last week by the U.S. Department of Justice in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois. It challenges a law passed by the Democratic-controlled Illinois General Assembly in October and signed earlier this month by Gov. JB Pritzker.
The law permits lawsuits against federal immigration agents who make arrests in or near state courthouses or are accused of violating constitutional rights. The Justice Department argues the measure violates the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution and could expose officers to harassment and personal risk.
In its filing, the Justice Department said the law “threatens officers with ruinous liability” for enforcing federal law and could chill immigration enforcement efforts.
The lawsuit names Pritzker and Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul as defendants.
A spokesperson for Pritzker told Capitol News Illinois the law is meant to protect constitutional rights, accusing the Trump administration of using masked agents to detain law-abiding residents and people of color at courthouses, hospitals, and child care facilities.
Pritzker signed the law following “Operation Midway Blitz,” a federal immigration enforcement campaign that began in the Chicago area in September. The Department of Homeland Security said the operation resulted in more than 4,500 arrests, though some enforcement actions sparked protests and confrontations between agents and demonstrators.
Supporters of the law say it establishes safeguards for residents interacting with immigration agents and limits how public institutions share immigration status information. The measure does not include a ban on officers wearing face coverings while on duty.
In the lawsuit, federal officials specifically challenge provisions that prohibit civil immigration arrests inside courthouses and within a 1,000-foot buffer zone, as well as a private right of action that allows residents to seek damages of at least $10,000 per violation. Additional punitive damages may apply if agents conceal their identities or fail to use body cameras.
State Senate President Don Harmon previously acknowledged the law would likely face legal challenges.
The case adds to ongoing legal disputes between Illinois and the federal government over immigration policy. It has been assigned to U.S. District Judge David W. Dugan. Raoul’s office has until January 13 to respond to the complaint.
