A federal judge in Illinois has dismissed a Trump administration lawsuit that sought to challenge the legality of Chicago’s sanctuary policies. The ruling, delivered by Judge Lindsay Jenkins, a Biden appointee, found that the city’s ordinances are lawful protections not subject to federal enforcement mandates. This decision marks a significant setback for the Trump DOJ’s legal efforts against sanctuary cities, which the administration had argued violated the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
The Trump Justice Department, in a February filing, accused the state of Illinois and the city of Chicago of unlawfully interfering with President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration as it aims to carry out mass deportations. The administration had contended that these sanctuary policies made such areas a haven for criminal illegal immigrants and contributed to increased crime.
Sanctuary cities or sanctuary policies limit cooperation between local officials and law enforcement and federal immigration authorities. The Trump administration has long criticized the measures, arguing they make such areas a haven for criminal illegal immigrants and contribute to increased crime. The Justice Department alleged these laws violated the U.S. Constitution’s