(The Center Square) 69传媒 The Trump administration is taking Illinois and Chicago to court over migrant sanctuary policies and members of the Illinois General Assembly from both sides aren69传媒檛 surprised. 聽
The lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice Thursday asked a judge to declare the state and local laws shielding non-citizens from federal authorities unconstitutional under the federal government's supremacy clause.聽
"Under these laws, state officers are explicitly prohibited from complying with immigration detainers or civil immigration warrants; they are also prevented from entering into agreements to detain noncitizens for federal civil immigration violations," according to the .
Illinois state Rep. Blaine Wilhour, R-Beecher City, praised the move.聽
69传媒淕od Bless Attorney General Pam Bondi and President [Donald] Trump for following through on a campaign promise,69传媒 Wilhour told The Center Square. 69传媒淭his isn69传媒檛 a surprise.69传媒澛
State Rep. Edgar Gonz谩lez, Jr., D-Chicago, said he fully expects the state and Chicago to continue to stand up to President Trump.聽
69传媒淭he only thing it does is it creates fear, it creates panic, but Chicago, Illinois, everybody was already expecting it,69传媒 Gonz谩lez told The Center Square. 69传媒淲e expected DOJ, we expected the Trump administration to try to sue us because all they69传媒檙e trying to do right now is make a point.69传媒澛犅
Separately Thursday at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield, state Reps. Blaine Wilhour, R-Beecher City, and Edgar Gonz谩lez, Jr., D-Chicago, react to the Trump administration suing the state and Chicago over migrant "sanctuary" policies.
The lawsuit specifically mentions Illinois laws like the TRUST Act, which prohibits local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration officials looking to enforce immigration laws against illegal immigrants, and the Illinois Way Forward Act, which further amends the TRUST Act to 69传媒渁dd additional requirements and protections,69传媒 to the Illinois Attorney General69传媒檚 Office.聽聽
As one of her first official actions, Bondi issued a memo ordering the end of funding to state and local jurisdictions 69传媒渢hat unlawfully interfere with federal law enforcement operations.69传媒澛
69传媒淪anctuary jurisdictions should not receive access to federal grants administered by the Department of Justice,69传媒 Wednesday69传媒檚 memo said. 69传媒淎dditionally, to the extent consistent with applicable statutes, regulation, and terms, the Department may seek to tailor future grants to promote a lawful system of immigration, and to reduce efforts by state and local jurisdictions to undermine a lawful system of immigration.69传媒澛
Gonz谩lez said the move to withhold federal DOJ funds from Illinois and Chicago is 69传媒渃ompletely irresponsible.69传媒澛
69传媒淚llinois is a donor state, you know, the federal government relies on our tax revenue,69传媒 he said. 69传媒淚f they do things like this, it really doesn69传媒檛 make it a compelling case for Illinois to help contribute in that way to the federal government.69传媒澛
Wilhour said taxpayers can69传媒檛 afford to pay for illegal immigrants living in sanctuary jurisdictions.聽
69传媒淭he withholding funds is the only thing that69传媒檚 gonna get those folks69传媒 attention,69传媒 Wilhour said. 69传媒淭his is really easy. We can solve this tomorrow. End the sanctuary state status.69传媒澛
