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Chicago Tribune
a day ago
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Sen. Jason Plummer: Gov. JB Pritzker has taken Illinois sanctuary city policies to the extreme
As pressure mounts over his sanctuary state policies, Gov. JB Pritzker is headed to Washington this week to testify in front of the U.S. House oversight committee. While you can expect him to point fingers and dodge accountability, the facts are clear: Under his watch, Illinois has become a national outlier, defying federal law, tying the hands of law enforcement and pouring taxpayer money into programs for those people living in the country illegally. Before the cameras start rolling, here's what you need to know, the facts without the political spin. Since taking office, Pritzker hasn't just supported sanctuary policies; he has gone to extremes. He's fond of pointing to the TRUST Act, but it's important to understand that the sweeping sanctuary state agenda on the books today looks nothing like what was passed in 2017. To be clear, this isn't a defense of the original TRUST Act, which marked the beginning of Illinois stepping back from cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. I was not in the Senate at the time. If I had been, I'd have voted against it. But since Pritzker likes to point out that it was signed by a Republican, as if that justifies everything he's done since, it's worth setting the record straight. The 2017 law set basic limits on how local law enforcement could respond to immigration detainers, requiring a judicial warrant to hold someone in custody. It still specifically allowed police to coordinate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to deport dangerous criminals and was narrowly focused on specific procedures. What Pritzker has done since bears little resemblance to the original law, and using it as cover for his broader immigration policies is disingenuous at best. Under Pritzker, that limited framework has been expanded. What was a targeted policy has been transformed into a sweeping sanctuary state agenda. He has pushed laws that ban local jails from working with ICE, prevent law enforcement from sharing information with federal agents and give state officials new powers to go after departments that try to cooperate with federal authorities. In 2021, Pritzker signed the Illinois Way Forward Act. It bans state and local governments from working with ICE to detain people who are living in the country illegally. Sheriffs and jailers are now prohibited from notifying ICE when someone in custody is wanted for deportation. Even asking about someone's immigration status is restricted unless there's a federal criminal warrant in hand. Why? Who benefits from tying the hands of law enforcement and shielding criminals from deportation? It doesn't stop there. Pritzker gave the Illinois attorney general sweeping powers to investigate, sue law enforcement agencies and discipline officers who try to cooperate with federal immigration officials. He created an entire state bureaucracy, the 'Welcoming Illinois' office, dedicated to expanding benefits and protections for immigrants. Until recently, he pushed programs such as free taxpayer-funded health care and housing for people living in the country illegally, spending billions with little oversight, transparency or accountability. And he has raised taxes on Illinois families multiple times. Illinoisans deserve to know where their money is going and who it benefits. While Illinois families struggle with rising costs, high taxes, the highest unemployment rate in the Midwest and crime, their governor is pouring billions into sanctuary-style programs and signing laws that punish police departments that try to uphold federal law. This isn't just bad policy — it's also dangerous. As Pritzker prepares to testify, Illinoisans should pay close attention, because his talking points won't tell the whole story. For years, he's used the 2017 TRUST Act as political cover while quietly expanding it. He's used their tax dollars to incentivize noncitizens to come to Illinois while blocking cooperation with ICE and making it harder for law enforcement to do their jobs. Now, with Congress and the nation watching, he'll have to defend it all. Illinoisans don't need more spin; they need straight talk and a governor who finally puts the truth and their safety first.
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Illinois, Chicago sued by DOJ over sanctuary city status
CHICAGO (NewsNation) — The U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit Thursday against Chicago, Cook County and the state of Illinois, accusing officials of interfering with immigration enforcement efforts. The suit comes on the heels of a federal judge blocking President Donald Trump's executive order preventing the children of migrants without legal status from receiving birthright citizenship for the second time this week. Local leaders are pushing back against the Trump administration, asserting the city maintains its welcoming status despite federal pressure. The DOJ's lawsuit argues Chicago's state and local laws — such as the Illinois Way Forward Act, the Illinois Trust Act and Chicago's Welcoming City Ordinance, which limit local police cooperation with ICE agents — interfere with the federal government's immigration enforcement. Federal buyout deadline extended as Trump plans USAID cuts Additionally, it argues the supremacy clause of the Constitution gives the federal government the right to create and enforce laws without interference from states. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker defended the laws. 'Unlike Donald Trump, Illinois follows the law,' he said, adding that the Trust Act was signed into law by a Republican governor and 'has always been compliant with federal law and still is today.' 'We look forward to seeing them in court,' Pritzker said. Some local law enforcement officials, such as Winnebago County Sheriff Gary Caruana, argue the current legislation prevents their ability to do their jobs effectively. 'The Trust Act does not allow us to call immigration and say this person has an issue and could be dangerous — and this is where I'm concerned about public safety — this person could be dangerous, you might want to take a look at this. We can't do that,' he said. Senate installs Russell Vought as Trump's next budget chief In a social media post, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said the lawsuit is under review by the city's law department and reaffirmed the city's commitment to protecting residents. Earlier this week, Johnson accused the Trump administration of trying to undermine Chicago's humanity and called for Congress to pass immigration reform. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
