Illinois Governor JB Pritzker enacted legislation on Dec. 9, 2025 that restricts federal immigration enforcement activities throughout the state, including at courthouses and medical facilities, according to a report by the Epoch Times.
“By signing this legislation today, we are safeguarding people and institutions that are part of Illinois,” Pritzker declared in a statement. “Taking your child to day care, visiting your physician, or going to class should not become a life-changing ordeal.”
HB 1312, which took effect immediately upon signing, enables individuals to pursue legal recourse against law enforcement officers they believe infringed upon their constitutional rights during civil immigration operations within the state.
The law additionally prohibits civil arrests in and near courthouses for anyone participating in certain state court proceedings and establishes a mechanism for affected individuals to pursue damages for wrongful detention.
Under the new legislation, hospitals must limit the disclosure of protected health information and establish protocols for interactions with law enforcement agents, according to the governor’s office.
The measure also prevents schools and child care facilities from revealing the actual or perceived immigration status of students, staff, or anyone connected to them to outside parties unless legally mandated.
The National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) praised the governor’s decision to sign the legislation, characterizing it as a “necessary legislative step” to defend people’s constitutional protections.
“The threat of being detained by federal immigration agents when appearing for a hearing in state court is undermining people’s capacity to interact with the justice system for essential matters, such as obtaining a protection order in a domestic violence case or resolving a traffic citation,” Cecilia Mendoza, NIJC associate director of government relations, said in a statement.
Homeland Security Department (DHS) spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin stated that Pritzker breached the U.S. Constitution and his oath of office by signing the legislation.
The measure emerges as the Trump administration has intensified immigration enforcement in Illinois, triggering demonstrations near an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Chicago, which led President Donald Trump to deploy hundreds of National Guard personnel to secure ICE staff and facilities. A federal judge subsequently issued an injunction to temporarily halt the deployment.
According to a DHS statement on Dec. 8, Illinois released approximately 1,768 criminal illegal immigrants into the community this year despite federal detainer requests. Those released had been convicted of various offenses, including homicide, burglary, serious drug crimes, weapons violations, and sexual predatory offenses.
This follows ICE Director Todd Lyons’s September letter to Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul requesting that he honor ICE arrest detainers for criminal illegal immigrants in state custody.
The detainers mandate that the state notify ICE when a criminal illegal immigrant is scheduled for release to facilitate safe transfer into federal custody.
In its Dec. 8 statement, the DHS indicated that Raoul’s office did not respond.
When it come to blue states, it has become abundantly clear that the enforcement of immigration law is an afterthought. Fat cats like Pritzker will benefit handsomely from the influx of cheap labor, while everyday citizens suffer.
