NW Illinois News

State Senator Andrew Chesney has criticized the U.S. Department of Justice's lawsuit against Illinois and its sanctuary policies, attributing it to "a direct result of Governor JB Pritzker's reckless and dangerous policies." Chesney made this statement in a Facebook post on February 6.

"Today's Department of Justice lawsuit against the State of Illinois is a direct result of Governor JB Pritzker's reckless and dangerous policies," said S. Chesney, according to Facebook. "While Pritzker and his radical allies waste taxpayer dollars and endless man-hours helping illegal immigrants hide from federal authorities, the Trump Administration has made it abundantly clear that they will not tolerate states undermining their mission to secure our borders and remove illegal immigrants who are ‘squatting' in our neighborhoods. It's time for Illinois Democrats to stop playing political games with our safety and start putting the citizens of this state first. I call on lawmakers to act immediately and pass my Senate Bill 1203, which would repeal the dangerous and misguided TRUST Act."

The lawsuit targets several officials and entities in Illinois, including Governor J.B. Pritzker, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling, the Cook County Board of Commissioners, its president, and Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart. It alleges that these officials have released criminals who should have been detained for removal. The complaint points to the Illinois Way Forward Act and the TRUST Act as measures that impede federal immigration regulation and enforcement. Additionally, it references Chicago's Welcoming City Ordinance and Cook County's policy on ICE detainers as limitations on officers' ability to share information about illegal aliens with federal authorities.

Screenshot of State Senator Andrew Chesney's Feb. 6 Facebook post. | State Senator Andrew Chesney's Facebook page

Chicago has been a significant focus for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations. Both former President Donald Trump and border czar Tom Homan have identified the city as a critical area for efforts to remove illegal aliens. According to NPR, Mayor Johnson said that Chicago will uphold its policies, emphasizing that the police department "will not intervene or participate in any way" regarding immigration enforcement.

Governor Pritzker responded to the lawsuit on February 7 by saying, "Maybe they put up with this kind of garbage in Florida, which is the home state of the head of the DOJ, but in Illinois, we have grit, we are tough, we are strong, and Donald Trump has no idea what he is up against when he attacks Illinois," according to ABC7.

Senator Chesney has represented Illinois' 45th Senate District since 2023 after serving in the 89th House District starting in December 2018. His background includes serving on the Freeport City Council and participating on the board of the Regional Access Mobilization Project (RAMP), which aids individuals with disabilities. He has also mentored youth through Big Brothers Big Sisters.