Illinois’s legion of leftist lawmakers passed legislation on Friday that’d ban immigration authorities from arresting illegal aliens in and around state courthouses.
The bill would also allow illegal aliens to sue immigration officials who violate their alleged right to due process.
“The legislation imposes civil damages for false imprisonment when someone attending a court hearing or appearing as a party or witness to a legal proceeding is arrested,” according to the Associated Press.
Illinois Democrats just voted to expand sanctuary state policies — turning state property into safe havens for criminal illegal immigrants. While honest citizens face rising crime and insecurity, Democrats are doubling down on protecting those who broke our laws. pic.twitter.com/87UQrPX0AG
— Adam Niemerg (@adamniemerg) October 31, 2025
The bill also reportedly targets medical facilities.
“In addition to the provisions on courts and private actions, the bill also asks hospitals, day care centers and higher education institutions to put policies on the books about how they would respond to the presence of federal immigration agents,” according to the Chicago Tribune.
“Hospitals would be fined $500 per day for noncompliance if they fail to meet the deadlines for developing their policies during the first quarter of next year. The higher education provisions on immigration status could be enforced through private lawsuits. And violations of the day care policy requirement would result in a licensing violation,” the Tribune noted.
House Bill 1312 is now headed to Democrat Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk. The governor’s spokesperson has confirmed that he supports it.
However, even if signed into law, the bill may still face legal challenges, Illinois State Senate president Don Harmon, a Democrat, conceded.
“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,” he told the AP. “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.”
Republicans have warned of the bill’s unintended consequences on law enforcement.
“This bill goes too far,” state Rep. Patrick Windhorst told Capital News Illinois. “It is too broad and there will be grave consequences to our state if it is adopted.”
“We have to stop demonizing people for enforcing the current law,” state Sen. Neil Anderson added. “If you don’t like the law, change it. But that’s the law.”
Local cops agree.
“There’s going to be frivolous litigation that will be filed against state and local law enforcement officers” because of this bill, Illinois Sheriffs’ Association executive director Jim Kaitschuk said.
Democrats, meanwhile, have and continue to smear immigration authorities.
“We cannot continue to allow gun-toting mercenaries, often without agency badges, to roam our communities and abduct our neighbors,” state Rep. Hoan Huynh complained. “Enough is enough.”
“ICE conduct is unacceptable and un-American. If you love the Constitution of the United States, if you love America as much as you say you do, and if you believe in due process, then I urge you to vote yes on this bill,” he added.
Due process is reserved for AMERICAN CITIZENS.
Those who enter our country are GUESTS in the US.
When you illegally enter our country, you aren’t even our guest––you broke our law the minute you crossed our border, you are an ILLEGAL ALIEN, and you are subject to DEPORTATION. pic.twitter.com/wKA4rcX6iI
— Byron Donalds (@ByronDonalds) May 6, 2025
“We are standing here because our communities have been living in fear — fear of being separated from their children, fear of being taken from their homes, fear of simply existing,” state Sen. Celina Villaneuva added.
“This bill is about giving people a sense of safety, a sense of humanity, and the assurance that their government sees them and will stand up for them,” she added.
But if an illegal alien comes here from another country, is the United States truly “their government”?
All this comes a couple of weeks after a Cook County judge issued a similar order saying that immigration officials are subject to arrest inside Illinois’ courthouses.
Federal officials reportedly dismissed the ruling, saying “there are no legal sanctuaries where you can hide and avoid the consequences for breaking the law.”
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.
V. Saxena is a staff writer with a decade of experience as a professional writer, and a lifetime of experience as an avid news junkie. He holds a degree in computer technology from Purdue University. Saxena also contributes to BizPac Review.
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