Three Democrat governors testify in the House of Representatives over immigration
New York Governor Kathy Hokul, Minnesota Governor Tim Waltz and Illinois Governor JB Pretzker testify about Capitol Hill over immigration policy.
WASHINGTON – A federal judge on Friday dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Justice Department accusing Illinois and the city of Chicago of illegally obstructing President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration.
The decision of U.S. District Judge Lindsay C. Jenkins in Chicago was a setback in Trump’s litigation campaign against local “sanctuary” laws that restrict cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
A White House and the Department of Justice spokesman did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Trump, a Republican who is illegally trying to deport millions of immigrants from the country, is on the verge of Chicago and other Democrats over their policies.
Democrats criticized the Trump administration’s aggressive enforcement tactics, including mediocre immigrant agents who cover their faces to hide the identity and arrests of immigrants without criminal history.
Supporters of Sanctuary Law said local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration enforcement discourages immigrants living in the country from living illegally from moving forward as victims or witnesses of crime.
The Chicago City Council passed the ordinance in 2012, preventing city agencies and employees from participating in enforcing citizen immigration and making such efforts to support federal authorities. 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 that the laws violate the “dominance clause” of the U.S. Constitution, which states that federal law preempts state and local laws that may contradict it.
Jenkins, appointed by Democrat President Joe Biden, refused that argument in his ruling Friday, saying city and state policies are protected by the 10th amendment to the US Constitution.
On Thursday, the Trump administration filed a similar lawsuit against New York City over local sanctuary law. A similar case for Los Angeles is pending.
