SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois lawmakers have approved a measure that would ban federal immigration arrests near courthouses, sending the bill to Governor JB Pritzker for final approval. However, even one of the proposal’s top sponsors admits the law will likely face a court challenge.
Adopted early Friday, the legislation allows lawsuits from individuals who believe their constitutional rights were violated during civil immigration arrests. It also establishes civil penalties for false imprisonment when someone attending a court proceeding — whether as a party, witness, or observer — is detained.
Supporters say the goal is to ensure that courts remain accessible to everyone seeking justice. “No one should have to choose between seeking justice and risking their freedom,” said Sen. Celina Villanueva, one of the bill’s co-sponsors. “Courthouses must be places where people can resolve disputes, testify, and support loved ones, not sites of fear or intimidation.”
Democratic Senate President Don Harmon, another lead sponsor, acknowledged potential legal obstacles. “It’s not just about the constitutionality of the law, which I think is sound, but it’s the reality that the courts are stacked against us,” Harmon said. “The federal government can try to remove it from state courts to federal courts… but that’s not a reason not to try.”
A spokesperson for Gov. Pritzker said the governor supports the idea and will review the bill once it reaches his desk.
Two weeks earlier, Cook County’s chief judge issued a similar order banning immigration arrests in local courthouses. Federal officials dismissed it at the time, arguing that “there are no legal sanctuaries where you can hide and avoid the consequences for breaking the law.”
The Trump administration’s enforcement campaign, which began two months ago in Chicago and surrounding suburbs, aimed to target migrants living in the U.S. illegally, particularly those with criminal records. However, witnesses reported that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers detained individuals regardless of legal status.
The newly passed legislation also requires hospitals, day care centers, and higher education institutions to adopt policies outlining how they will handle immigration agents entering their facilities.
Several other states have enacted similar protections. California, for example, has limited immigration enforcement in courthouses since 2017. And in Connecticut, Chief Justice Raheem Mullins recently barred warrantless arrests inside state courts, emphasizing that “judges, staff, litigants, and the public must be able to conduct their business without fear of disruption.”
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