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Illinois Enacts Law Limiting Immigration Arrests Near Courthouses, Expanding Lawsuits Against Agents

The move sets up an immediate clash with federal agencies that argue the statute violates the Supremacy Clause.

Overview

  • Taking effect upon Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s Dec. 9 signing, the law bans civil immigration arrests in or within 1,000 feet of Illinois courthouses for people attending state proceedings.
  • Residents gain a state cause of action to sue immigration officers for constitutional violations, including potential $10,000 statutory damages in specified false‑imprisonment cases.
  • Hospitals, public colleges and licensed day care centers must adopt protocols for interactions with federal agents and restrict sharing of immigration status and protected data.
  • Compliance deadlines include Jan. 1, 2026 for general acute care hospitals and public colleges, with other hospitals required to comply by March 1, 2026.
  • DHS and ICE officials and Illinois Republicans condemned the measure as conflicting with federal authority, as the state response follows “Operation Midway Blitz,” which saw more than 4,000 arrests and a November court order releasing hundreds not subject to mandatory detention.