CHICAGO (WLS) — A significant legal development occurred when a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit brought by the U.S. Department of Justice against Illinois, Cook County, and Chicago concerning sanctuary city policies.
The suit alleged that the local government was obstructing federal immigration laws by enforcing rules that restricted local law enforcement from participating in immigration enforcement and sharing the immigration status of criminals.
U.S. District Court Judge Lindsay Jenkins delivered the ruling, stating, “The individual defendants are dismissed because the United States lacks standing to sue them with respect to the Sanctuary Policies… [t]he Federal Government may not compel the States to enact or administer a federal regulatory program… while Congress has many enumerated powers, and may even overtake state law, it may not wield States as federal tools.”
The Department of Justice has not yet provided a comment on the decision made by Judge Jenkins.
Although the case was dismissed without prejudice, allowing the possibility for an appeal or for the DOJ to replead, experts suggest that this may pose challenges for the federal agency.
ABC7 Chief Legal Expert Gil Soffer pointed out that for the DOJ to proceed, they would need to present entirely new facts that differ from those previously submitted.
In light of this ruling, the Justice Department has been given a deadline of August 22 to amend its complaint. Should they fail to do so, the dismissal could be converted to one with prejudice, which would prevent future attempts to bring the same case back to court.
Following the judge’s ruling, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul expressed his satisfaction with the outcome.
Raoul stated, “I am pleased with today’s decision, which follows the 7th Circuit’s dismissal of a similar lawsuit filed during the first Trump administration.
Today’s decision could not have been possible without the dedicated team of lawyers and staff who have worked tirelessly defending this latest attempt by the Trump administration to dismantle the TRUST Act.
Illinois’ TRUST Act acknowledges that civil immigration enforcement is the responsibility of the federal government, and that state and local law enforcement resources are most appropriately utilized protecting the communities in which they serve.
I will continue to defend the constitutionality of the TRUST Act against the Trump administration’s cruel and draconian immigration activities.”
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker also shared his thoughts on social media, declaring, “BREAKING: Illinois just beat the Trump Administration in federal court.
Their case challenging the bipartisan TRUST Act was dismissed – unlike the President, we follow the law and listen to the courts.”
Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke praised the ruling as well, commending her team for their efforts.
Burke remarked, “I applaud Judge Jenkins’s ruling, and am proud of the attorneys from our Civil Division for their great work.
The Trump administration’s continued attempts to bully local communities into adopting their preferred policies are not only unlawful, but counter to our values and ability to fight crime effectively.
We need victims and witnesses of crime to feel comfortable coming forward, just as we are compelled to hold those who commit crimes accountable.
Ultimately, our most important duty is seeking justice, standing up for victims, and making our communities safe from gun violence.
Today’s ruling helps us achieve these goals.”
image source from：abc7chicago
