Illinois law protects immigrants from arrest near courthouses, hospitals or colleges
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) Immigrants living in Illinois, among the states hit hardest by the Trump administrations immigration crackdown, are now shielded from federal enforcement near courthouses, hospitals, university campuses and day cares under a law Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker signed Tuesday.
The law, which takes effect immediately, also provides legal steps for people whose constitutional rights were violated during the federal enforcement action in the Chicago area, including $10,000 in damages for someone unlawfully arrested while attempting to attend a court proceeding.
Dropping your kid off at day care, going to the doctor, or attending your classes should not be a life-altering task, Pritzker said at a bill-signing in the largely Latino Little Village neighborhood in Chicago. Illinois in the face of cruelty and intimidation has chosen solidarity and support.
Critics complain the law will be overturned by the courts.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements Operation Midway Blitz, which appears to have wound down, arrested more than 4,000 people. Data on those arrested from early September through mid-October showed only 15% had criminal records, with traffic offenses, misdemeanors or nonviolent felonies comprising the vast majority
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https://apnews.com/article/immigration-chicago-pritzker-courthouse-ice-arrests-643629859a5c1dc3e7b48552074f3bc4