**Illinois Lawmakers Pass Bill Prohibiting Federal Immigration Arrests Near Courthouses**
Illinois lawmakers passed a bill on Friday that prohibits federal agents from making immigration arrests near courthouses. The measure also allows lawsuits when individuals believe their constitutional rights were violated during civil immigration arrests. Approved largely along party lines, the legislation has been sent to Democratic Governor JB Pritzker’s desk. His office stated that he supports the idea and will review the proposal upon receiving it.
According to the bill, civil damages for false imprisonment could be imposed when a migrant attending a court hearing or appearing as a party or witness in a legal proceeding is arrested.
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### Court Access and Legal Concerns
Supporters of the bill argue that courts must be accessible to everyone to seek resolutions to violations of their rights. However, even one of the measure’s top sponsors acknowledges it will face an uphill battle in court.
“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,” said Democrat Senate President Don Harmon. “The federal government can try to remove it from state courts to federal courts. They can try to substitute the government itself for the individual defendants, but that’s not a reason not to try.”
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### Recent Judicial Actions and Federal Position
Earlier this month, a judge in Cook County, which includes Chicago, issued an order blocking immigration arrests at county courthouses, citing concerns about “fear or obstruction” while migrants attend court proceedings. The order prohibits immigration authorities from making civil arrests of any “party, witness, or potential witness” during court appearances.
The federal government, however, contended that “there are no legal sanctuaries where you can hide and avoid the consequences for breaking the law.”
The Trump administration’s immigration agenda aimed to detain suspected illegal migrants as part of mass deportation policies. However, witnesses have reported numerous incidents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detaining people regardless of citizenship or legal status.
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### Voices from Supporters of the Bill
“No one should have to choose between seeking justice and risking their freedom,” said Democrat state Senator Celina Villanueva, co-sponsor of the bill. “Courthouses must be places where people can resolve disputes, testify, and support loved ones, not sites of fear or intimidation.”
The measure also requires hospitals, day care centers, and higher education institutions to create policies detailing how they would handle immigration agents inside their facilities.
Earlier this year, the federal government reversed a Biden administration policy that prohibited immigration arrests in sensitive locations such as hospitals, schools, and churches.
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### Similar Measures in Other States
Other states have taken similar steps to protect migrants from federal raids.
California has restricted immigration enforcement actions in courthouses since 2017. California Attorney General Rob Bonta stated, “The state cannot control federal immigration action, but the state has a responsibility to provide safe and secure access to court facilities to all residents regardless of immigration status.”
In Connecticut, State Supreme Court Chief Justice Raheem Mullins issued a policy in September banning warrantless arrests inside state courts and prohibited the use of face coverings—often worn by ICE officers to shield their identities—in judicial buildings.
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For more information and updates, stay tuned.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/illinois-lawmakers-pass-bill-banning-ice-immigration-arrests-near-courthouses