SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WTVO) — The Illinois General Assembly has passed a new bill that would ban federal immigration agents from making arrests in and around courthouses, hospitals, daycare centers, and colleges across the state.
Passed early Friday morning, House Bill 1312 establishes 1,000-foot “safe zones” around courthouses, where Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and other federal agents would be prohibited from conducting arrests. Violators could face $10,000 in statutory damages.
The measure also introduces punitive damages against federal officers—including those from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or ICE—for what the bill describes as “particularly egregious conduct.” This includes failing to identify themselves as law enforcement, wearing masks, not using body cameras, or deploying crowd-control weapons during enforcement actions.
“Our communities have been living in fear—fear of being separated from their children, taken from their homes, or punished simply for existing,” said State Sen. Celina Villaneuva (D-Chicago). “This bill gives people a sense of safety, humanity, and the assurance that their government stands with them.”
The legislation was crafted in response to “Operation Midway Blitz,” a recent federal immigration enforcement campaign that has reportedly led to the detention of over 1,500 undocumented immigrants in the Chicago area. The operation has sparked clashes between protesters and federal agents, including outside a Broadview processing facility.
Under the new bill, Illinois residents will be able to sue federal officers who violate their constitutional rights during immigration enforcement actions.
“Previous administrations understood that immigration status should never outweigh a person’s right to receive life-saving care,” said Sen. Graciela Guzmán (D-Chicago). “But this administration’s targeting of people during their most vulnerable moments—like seeking medical treatment or testifying in court—is deplorable and should alarm all Americans.”
The measure passed both chambers of the legislature and now heads to Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk for signature.
This article has been carefully fact-checked by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and eliminate any misleading information. We are committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity in our content.
Leave a Reply