Illinois Has Made Historic Moves That Will Hit Trump HARD

Governor JB Pritzker is NOT here to play!

While Donald Trump continues his campaign against immigrants in this country, tearing through our communities with ICE raids, Illinois has struck back HARD.

VIA The Economist

On Tuesday morning, Gov. JB Pritzker signed a sweeping package of protections aimed at shielding immigrants from what he called “unjust” federal enforcement. And to be clear, “unjust” is putting it lightly. For nearly three months, the Trump administration has waged Operation Midway Blitz, a heightened enforcement campaign that resulted in thousands of arrests, many of them chaotic, violent, and indiscriminate.

Chicago’s Little Village community, in particular, was terrorized with tear gas, mass detentions, and even U.S. citizens being dragged into custody.

But what do these new laws *actually* do? Let’s take a look:

1. Courthouse Protections

   1. Civil immigration arrests are banned in and around the courthouses

   2. Anyone falsely arrested can sue for 10,000 in damages

This is huge, given that for years, ICE has used courthouses as hunting grounds, targeting people who are intentionally trying to go about the processes legally.

2. Hospitals Are Real Sanctuaries

   1. Tighten restrictions on when law enforcement can access patient information

   2. Protect immigration status details

   3. Implement new policies for handling police or federal agents

3. Universities Cannot Just Let ICE Walk Onto Campus

   1. Public universities must create new rules limiting law enforcement access, specifically banning decisions based on perceived or real immigration status

4. Daycares Must Post “Know Your Rights” Protections

   1. Prepared action plans for interactions with law enforcement

   2. Expanded rights language displayed

   3. Stricter conditions for sharing documents

5. The Right to Sue Law Enforcement

   1. Illinois residents will now have civil recourse against officers who violate their constitutional rights, state or federal

Unsurprisingly, the Department of Homeland Security immediately called the new laws unconstitutional. Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin even accused Pritzker of violating his oath of office.

In a political landscape where most leaders shrug and comply with Trump’s intimidation tactics, Illinois is doing the opposite: drawing boundaries, asserting sovereignty, and refusing to let immigrant communities become collateral damage.

Other states will have to answer one question eventually:

When ICE shows up at your courthouses, your hospitals, your campuses… whose side are you on?

Because Illinois just made its answer very clear.