Latest news with #TRUSTAct
USA Today
6 days ago
- Politics
- USA Today
Judge dismisses Justice Department lawsuit over sanctuary laws in Chicago and Illinois
WASHINGTON - A federal judge on Friday dismissed a lawsuit brought by the Justice Department that accused the state of Illinois and the city of Chicago of unlawfully interfering with President Donald Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration. The ruling by U.S. District Judge Lindsay C. Jenkins in Chicago was a setback for Trump's litigation campaign against local "sanctuary" laws that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. White House and Justice Department spokespersons did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Trump, a Republican seeking to deport millions of immigrants in the country illegally, has sparred with Chicago and other Democratic strongholds over their policies. Democrats, in turn, have criticized the Trump administration's aggressive enforcement tactics, including plainclothes immigration agents covering their faces to hide their identities and arrests of immigrants with no criminal records. Supporters of sanctuary laws have said local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration enforcement would discourage immigrants who are living in the country illegally from coming forward as victims or witnesses to crimes. The Chicago City Council passed an ordinance in 2012 that stops city agencies and employees from getting involved in civil immigration enforcement or helping federal authorities with such efforts. The Illinois legislature passed a similar state law, known as the TRUST Act, in 2017. The Justice Department sued Chicago and Illinois in February, alleging these laws violate the U.S. Constitution's "Supremacy Clause" that states that federal law preempts state and local laws that may conflict with it. Jenkins, who was appointed by Democratic President Joe Biden, rejected that argument in Friday's ruling, saying the city's and the state's policies are protected by the Tenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which ensures that states retain significant powers not explicitly granted to the federal government. The Trump administration on Thursday filed a similar lawsuit against New York City over its local sanctuary laws. A similar case against Los Angeles is pending.
The Independent
25-06-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Republican who pushed to ban lawmaker stock trading bought Lockheed shares ahead of Iran strikes
Numerous members of Congress had investments in key defense firms on the line before the war between Israel and Iran reignited, only to see momentum fizzle with Monday's announcement of a ceasefire. Among them is the primary sponsor of a ban on congressional stock trading, drawing into question how serious Congress really is about separating its members from the appearance of profiting off of the office. Stock trading among members of Congress has long been a controversial practice. As the Covid pandemic raged across the U.S. in 2020, lawmakers fell under renewed scrutiny for their trades after it was revealed that some members of Congress dumped millions of dollars' worth of stock ahead of the coinciding economic crash. The effort to ban or restrict the trading of individual stocks by members or their spouses was renewed in May when Rep. Rob Bresnahan, a Pennsylvania Republican, re-introduced the TRUST Act — a piece of legislation that would bar sales of stock for members or their spouses unless those assets were held in a qualified blind trust. Originally introduced in January, the legislation has dozens of bipartisan co-sponsors. At the time, the swing-district congressman proclaimed that 'the public should never have to question whether their elected officials are serving the public or their own portfolios,' a clear reference to the suspicion under which his colleagues have fallen for stock trading in office. Speaker Mike Johnson and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries both publicly back a ban, but the TRUST Act has yet to get a vote. Bresnahan, meanwhile, continues to own a sizable stock portfolio, containing millions in assets and making more than 600 trades since coming to office this year. Less than halfway through his first full term, the congressman is now facing the same kind of suspicion from voters regarding his financial activity outside of Congress. Recent trades have included a purchase of Lockheed Martin stock reported on May 15, less than a month before Israel's war with Iran broke out and eventually drew the U.S. into launching strikes against three targets associated with Iran's nuclear program. Lockheed is a major defense partner of the Israeli government, and is under contract to provide the Israeli Air Force with 75 of its F-35 strike fighters. He took a question from a woman at a tele-town hall earlier this month on the issue, and his portfolio's prolific trading was highlighted by the Twitter account Unusual Whales in early June. The popular account monitors trading by members of Congress and often highlights instances where lawmakers' portfolios vastly outperform the market. The congressman said in response that his portfolio is managed by a financial adviser, explaining: 'I honestly have no idea what's inside of the portfolio that I own...I do not have any dialogues with my financial advisers,' according to local NPR affiliate WHYY. Bresnahan's re-election campaign was the recipient of a $1,000 donation from a PAC representing Lockheed Martin Corporation two weeks after reporting the trade. The donation was one of dozens the PAC made at the end of May to centrist members of both parties, an early investment in the 2026 cycle. In a statement in May, Bresnahan claimed that he was in the process of setting up a blind trust that would meet the act's requirements in conversations with the House Ethics Committee. His office told The Independent on Wednesday: 'Rep. Bresnahan does not trade his own stocks – a point he has made repeatedly. All stock trades are and have been made by a financial advisor without his involvement, and he does not know what is traded or when. He believes Members of Congress should not be allowed to profit off the information they are entrusted with, which is why he introduced legislation to ban Congressional stock trading, restoring the integrity Americans expect and deserve from their government.' Two Democrats co-sponsoring the TRUST Act both made similar trades. Josh Gottheimer, a New Jersey Democrat (and another hawkish figure in foreign policy circles) purchased Raytheon stock in late April, while Jared Moskowitz of Florida purchased Qualcomm and Lockheed stock at the beginning of the same month. Moskowitz has never taken a donation from Lockheed Martin's PAC, and Gottheimer took a donation of the same amount ($1,000) earlier this year (though he never purchased the company's stock). Moskowitz's office said in a statement in May that his trades are "managed by an outside third-party financial advisor.' Gottheimer said in 2022 that he would put his investments in a blind trust, but blamed the House Ethics Committee for procedural delays in that process when questioned by the Washington Examiner earlier this year. 'Prior to taking office, Josh turned over management of his retirement savings and investments to a third party, who has full investment discretion,' his spokesman said. 'Throughout his time in Congress, decisions related to his managed investments have been made at the direction of that third party. Josh is also awaiting approval from Congress of a blind trust. In the meantime, he has taken the extra step of setting up an independent trust.' The Independent has reached out to Gottheimer and Moskowitz's offices for further comment. Several members of Congress bought defense stocks within the last two months, including such well-known figures as Marjorie Taylor Greene — who repeatedly condemned the prospect of war with Iran after purchasing Palantir stock twice in April, then Boeing and Qualcomm stock in May. Rep. Jefferson Shreve, another freshman, bought Lockheed stock in April. Florida's newly-appointed Senator Ashley Moody purchased Howmet Aerospace stock in early April. The Independent has reached out for comment. But none are co-sponsors of restrictions on stock trading under the current Congress. Greene, in particular, has already been publicly dinged by one of her own Republican colleagues, Mike Lawler, for a lucrative trade she made in May. 'After many successful years of running my own business, I ran for Congress to bring that mindset to Washington. Now that I'm proudly serving the people of Northwest Georgia, I have signed a fiduciary agreement to allow my financial advisor to control my investments,' Greene told The Independent in a statement. 'All of my investments are reported with full transparency. I refuse to hide my stock trades in a blind trust like many others do. Since my portfolio manager makes my trades for me, I usually find out about them when the media asks.' If any members of Congress were looking to defense stocks for a quick profit after Israel began its assault on Iran earlier this month, they may already have been disappointed. A ceasefire hammered into place by Trump on Monday evening appeared shaky at first, but nevertheless appears to be holding — sending stocks including Lockheed tumbling. As the president delivered a public tongue-lashing aimed at both sides of the conflict on Tuesday, the message from Washington was clear: the outbreak of further violence would be unacceptable. Two Democratic senators, Mark Kelly and Jon Ossoff, introduced another version of a stock trading ban in the Senate near the end of May. John Thune, the Senate Majority Leader, has expressed skepticism about the need for stronger protections.
Yahoo
21-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Raoul issues guidance for protesters
As people in Chicago, Los Angeles and cities around the nation peacefully protest unlawful policies and orders issued by the Trump administration, Attorney General Kwame Raoul released guidance to help them do so safely. Raoul's 'Know Your Rights Advisory: Safely Participating in Peaceful Protests in Illinois' is available on the Attorney General's website to help Illinois residents understand their rights and responsibilities while participating in protected First Amendment protests. Raoul also issued a guidance summary to ensure local law enforcement officials understand key provisions of the Illinois TRUST Act, which generally prohibits state and local law enforcement from participating in federal civil immigration enforcement. 'It is impossible to ignore the widespread injustice taking place around the nation at the direction of the Trump administration, and it is incumbent upon all of us to speak out and protest these egregious abuses of power. However, protesters have a responsibility to follow the law and express their views peacefully,' Raoul said. 'Acts of violence, destruction of property and obstruction of law enforcement are unacceptable, and local law enforcement is responsible for addressing such acts. Local law enforcement officers in Illinois have already shown that they are fully capable of protecting protesters, the public and free speech," he added. Raoul encouraged citizens to know their rights. "I encourage people to review the 'Know Your Rights Advisory' on my office's website before participating in a demonstration. This moment demands that we all use our voices in protest, but it is up to protesters and local law enforcement officers together to maintain public safety at such demonstrations,' he said. The right to free speech and peaceable assembly protected by the First Amendment includes the right to participate in protests, marches and demonstrations. However, protesters are responsible for expressing their views peacefully and obeying orders issued by local law enforcement. Physical violence, destruction of property, criminal trespass onto private property or other criminal activities are not protected by the First Amendment. Local law enforcement officers may take appropriate crowd management and traffic control measures if needed. Attorney General Raoul is also reminding demonstrators that it is a federal crime to assault, intimidate or interfere with an officer or employee of the U.S. government while performing official duties, or to obstruct or impede a federal civil immigration enforcement operation. Illinois' TRUST Act generally prohibits local law enforcement from participating in civil immigration enforcement. Although the law does not prevent local law enforcement officers from taking action to maintain peace and ensure public safety in their jurisdictions, officers must respect the constitutional and civil rights of all individuals at all times. Local law enforcement officers may not stop, arrest or detain anyone based solely on citizenship or immigration status. The Attorney General's 'Know Your Rights Advisory: Safely Participating in Peaceful Protests in Illinois' and 'Guidance Summary: Key Provisions of the Illinois TRUST Act' contain more information and are available to all on the Attorney General's website. Raoul urges anyone who believes their rights or someone else's rights are being violated to remain calm, document all relevant information and do not use force or otherwise resist arrest. Individuals who need to report alleged civil rights violations or alleged violations of the TRUST Act by law enforcement should contact the Attorney General's Civil Rights Bureau by calling 1-877-581-3692 or by emailing civilrights@
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Not a random operation': Residents, officials alarmed after possible ICE activity in Rockford
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Rockford's southwest side is quiet Friday, a day after personnel from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security were confirmed in the area. 'People were confused about some things. From my understanding, that it may have been in a residential area or near a park, all of it is, with the social media posts, and not from official sources,' said 6th Ward Alderwoman Aprel Prunty (D). Prunty said she heard from residents of her ward that DHS personnel near Liberty Park. While officials if agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) were present, the City of Rockford released a statement saying, 'It is important to note that ICE is a federal agency operating under the Department of Homeland Security.' 'This was scary for a lot of people. And, especially if it were near a park, we know that children were probably there. I have heard that, since then, that maybe children did witness it,' Prunty said. Fernando Lopez, the station manager at Rockford's Latino radio station La Bamba Radio, said he was made aware of two individuals who were targeted due to active deportation orders against them. 'It's not a random operation of ICE. It was targeting specific people. As far as we know, they pick specific people with deportation proceedings. That's what this is. No massive raids, no random stuff,' Lopez said. According to ICE, those arrested in its operations nationwide had criminal histories, including sexual assault, robbery, drug and weapons charges, and domestic violence. In Illinois, the TRUST Act, signed by former Gov. Bruce Rauner (R) in 2017, prevents state law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities. According to the 2023 Way Forward Act Compliance Report, 88.5% of requests from federal immigration authorities were rejected statewide. City officials did not have further updates. Earlier this year, Rockford Police Chief Carla Redd on the department's policy, saying, 'The enforcement of civil immigration laws is the primary responsibility of federal agencies, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The Rockford Police Department does not participate in civil immigration-related investigations or actions.' Winnebago County Sheriff Gary Caruana said in a , 'Local law enforcement agencies are prohibited from honoring ICE detainers or acting on an individual's immigration status without a judicial warrant. These legal restrictions limit the ability of local law enforcement to collaborate with federal partners, including ICE, in addressing certain public safety concerns.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pritzker slams House Republicans after sanctuary law hearing: ‘Again, nothing accomplished'
The Brief Gov. J.B. Pritzker spent over eight hours testifying before the House Oversight Committee, criticizing Republicans for focusing on partisan attacks instead of immigration reform. Tensions rose during exchanges with Rep. Mary Miller, who questioned Pritzker about working with a potential Trump administration and ICE; Pritzker later called her a "terrible congresswoman." Pritzker defended Illinois' TRUST Act, saying it remains necessary due to federal inaction on immigration, and called for comprehensive reform from Congress. WASHINGTON, D.C. - After testifying before the House Oversight Committee in Washington, D.C. for eight hours on Thursday over the state of Illinois' sanctuary policies, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said ultimately, nothing was accomplished. "This Republican majority was not at all interested in addressing comprehensive immigration reform, which is what we need in this country, and instead, they simply attacked three Democratic governors who are all trying to deal with the failures of this Congress," Pritzker said. "Look, the Republicans have a bare majority in the House of Representatives, and they control the government. They should work with Democrats to get this reform done. They should have listened to us about the challenges that we have in dealing with their failures, but they did not. It was just attack after attack and it's too bad. We had an awful lot to offer." What we know Pritzker appeared before the committee alongside Democratic governors Tim Walz of Minnesota and Kathy Hochul of New York to testify on state-level immigration policies, including Illinois' status as a sanctuary state. The hearing also touched on the incident that day in which U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., was shoved and handcuffed during a press conference led by South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and officials from the Department of Homeland Security. "They showed no respect about the attack on Senator Padilla. All he wanted was just answers to questions. He went into a press conference that Kristi Noem was running, tried to ask questions and instead was thrown down to the ground and handcuffed. I mean, this is Donald Trump's America, where they take a Democratic senator, throw him down on the ground, and handcuff him for just wanting answers that his constituents need for him to do the job," Pritzker said. Another tense exchange came with U.S. Rep. Mary Miller, R-Ill., who cited a report that Pritzker had called for "mass protests, mobilization and disruption." She then asked whether he would commit to working with the Trump administration and ICE to prevent violence like that seen during protests in Los Angeles. "We work every day with our federal government… we do all the time work with the federal government, with law enforcement," Pritzker said. "I'm taking that as a yes," Miller said. Following the hearing, Pritzker criticized Miller, saying she "brings nothing home to her district." "Mary Miller is a terrible congresswoman for her district. She literally brings nothing home to the district. She does not believe in doing things for her constituents and, instead, all she does is attack, attack, and attack. She does that on her Twitter account, she does that on her Facebook account. She barely shows up for her constituents and almost never wants to engage in conversation about actual policies that will help the people of her district," Pritzker said. Illinois TRUST Act Throughout the hearing, lawmakers repeatedly brought up Illinois' TRUST Act, which limits how much local law enforcement can cooperate with federal immigration authorities. The law, enacted in 2017 under Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, has faced renewed scrutiny. Pritzker was asked if he would consider making any updates to the law, to which he responded, "I think the TRUST Act has done the work that it's supposed to do in an environment in which the federal government is not doing its job." "I said to Congressman LaHood, 'do your job.' And I say that to all members of the Congress. It is time for comprehensive immigration reform," Pritzker added. Pritzker closed his remarks after the hearing by condemning the overall conduct of the Republican-led committee. "An entire day of just harping on things that, frankly, were mostly false," he said. "Would I say it was a waste? I think this entire Republican-controlled Congress is a waste." RELATED: Pritzker testifies before Congress on Illinois sanctuary laws
