Illinois State Democrats are working to oppose presidential deportation policies as Governor J.B. Pritzker signed a new law Tuesday intended to limit what he called the “depravity” of the Trump administration. However, government officials have declared the legislation unconstitutional.
The bill restricts federal immigration enforcement outside state courthouses and allows residents to sue federal immigration agents if they believe their civil rights were violated. It also prohibits similar operations near hospitals, university campuses, and day-care centers.
Pritzker stated: “Dropping your kid off at day care, going to the doctor, or attending classes should not be a life-altering task.”
In a social media post, the governor wrote: “Today, I’ve signed into law legislation that expands legal protections for the people of Illinois. Dropping your kid off at day care, going to the doctor, or attending classes should not be a life-altering task. We will counter the Trump Administration’s depravity.”
The Department of Homeland Security responded by accusing Pritzker of acting unconstitutionally against federal authority. Citing Article VI, Paragraph 2 of the U.S. Constitution—which states: “This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof … shall be the supreme Law of the Land”—the department claimed that by signing the law, Pritzker violated the Supremacy Clause.
The DHS added: “We hope the headlines and social media likes are worth it.”
A recent DHS report indicated that as many as 1,768 criminal non-citizens—including illegal immigrants and other residents—were released in Illinois despite ICE detainers placed on them. Among those released were at least five homicide convictions, 141 assault convictions, and 10 convictions for sexual offenses.
Pritzker is considered by some to be a possible candidate for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination.
