Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed sweeping new "sanctuary-style" legislation Tuesday that restricts federal immigration enforcement near state courthouses and expands the ability to sue officers involved in civil immigration arrests.
Pritzker, a Democrat, signed HB 1312 at Chicago's La Villita Community Church as federal immigration operations continue across the state.
His office issued a press release saying the measure is designed to ensure immigrants can attend court hearings, access child care, receive medical care, and participate in higher education "without fear of aggressive civil immigration enforcement actions."
The bill took effect immediately, according to local reports.
At the center of the new law is a courthouse buffer zone: It prohibits civil immigration arrests at state courthouses or within 1,000 feet of them when people are attending certain court proceedings.
Democrats argue the goal is to ensure residents can seek justice without fearing they'll be targeted outside a courtroom. But critics warn that forcing immigration agents away from controlled settings can push arrests into more unpredictable environments.
John Curran, the Republican leader in the Illinois Senate, argued that the policy is likely headed for a legal showdown and predicted it will be "set aside by the U.S. Supreme Court."
He also raised concerns that restricting courthouse enforcement increases risks for the public and officers alike by moving encounters "into uncontrolled settings," where tensions can spike and mistakes become more likely.
Federal officials have been blunt about their opposition.
The Department of Homeland Security said after the legislation passed the General Assembly that "nothing in the Constitution prohibits arresting a lawbreaker where you find them," and called courthouse arrests "common sense" because agents already know where targets will be and can conserve resources.
HB 1312 also creates additional tools for litigation against officers.
One component, described as an "Illinois Bivens Act," allows civil legal action against any law enforcement officer who knowingly violates the Illinois or U.S. Constitution, according to ABC 7's breakdown of the bill's provisions.
Another element allows civil damages for false imprisonment when someone attending a court hearing is arrested, according to The Associated Press.
The measure reaches beyond courthouses. ABC 7 reported that it limits what hospitals, day care centers, and colleges can share with immigration agents and requires new policies governing interactions with law enforcement.
Hospitals must implement procedures on dealing with law enforcement requests on a set timeline, and public universities must submit procedures for approving law enforcement entry requests by Jan. 1.
Daycare centers are prohibited from sharing a child's immigration status or that of an associated person unless required by law.
Democrats pitching the bill framed it as a pushback against Trump administration enforcement in the Chicago area, which has reportedly led to thousands of arrests and clashes between agents and residents.
Republicans counter that the state is prioritizing political messaging over public safety — and that the new rules risk creating confusion for local institutions while inviting costly court fights that taxpayers may ultimately fund.
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