City Of Chicago Joins Illinois Lawsuit Challenging Illegal Actions by Federal Immigration Agents in Chicago

CHICAGO — Today, the City of Chicago joined Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul to file a federal lawsuit alleging the Trump administration has overseen unlawful actions, abusive enforcement tactics, and repeated rights violations committed by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during their militarized immigration campaign in Chicago. In partnership with the Attorney General's office, the Johnson administration is moving swiftly to hold the federal government accountable for its reckless overreach which has put families at risk, undermined public safety efforts, and sparked chaos and fear within communities across the city.

"The Trump administration has repeatedly violated the law and undermined public trust," said Mayor Brandon Johnson. "These actions weren't just unlawful; they were cruel, needlessly inflicting fear and harm on our communities. My administration will forcefully protect our residents' rights and hold anyone accountable who abuses their power. Nobody is above the law. This lawsuit is about ensuring there is accountability for the lawless actions of the Trump administration and justice for the Chicagoans who have been wronged."

"Border Patrol agents and ICE officers have acted as occupiers rather than officers of the law," said Attorney General Raoul. "They randomly, and often violently, question residents. Without warrants or probable cause, they brutally detain citizens and non-citizens alike. They use tear gas and other chemical weapons against bystanders, injuring dozens, including children, the elderly and local police officers. I filed this lawsuit to stand up for the safety of the people of Illinois and the sovereignty of our state."

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Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois – Eastern Division, the lawsuit challenges policies under which federal immigration agents have interrogated residents about their citizenship status without any basis to believe they are in the U.S. unlawfully, make civil immigration arrests without a warrant and without probable cause, and deploy tear gas and other noxious chemicals without warning against persons who are not resisting.

The lawsuit also challenges the defendants' arbitrary enforcement actions at or near sensitive locations such as schools and shelters as well as the defendants' trespass on private and government-owned property, among other unlawful actions. The lawsuit alleges that the Trump Administration has implemented these policies to coerce the plaintiffs to abandon their policies, which value and respect immigrants, and devote their resources to further the immigration policies of the current administration.

The City is seeking, among other remedies, to prohibit the defendants from engaging in the challenged practices.

"Our legal team has compiled substantial evidence of these unlawful actions," said Corporation Counsel Mary B. Richardson-Lowry. "We will pursue every remedy available to safeguard the public."

Federal immigration operations have forced the City to divert resources to address problems created by federal immigration authorities, damaged the City's ability to protect residents who fear immigration enforcement, undermined trust between immigrant communities and local law enforcement, and reduced use of vital City services.

"We have taken a multi-faceted approach to pushing back against the reckless federal immigration enforcement in our city," said Deputy Mayor of Immigrant, Migrant, and Refugee Rights Beatriz Ponce de Leon. "These actions have caused real harm in communities across Chicago and this lawsuit is another important step towards accountability and justice."

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Today's filing presses forward the Johnson administration's fight to protect Chicagoans from the worst excesses of the Trump administration.

Since being deployed to Chicago, CPB and ICE agents shot and killed one resident, shot another five times, and carried out a militarized raid of an apartment building in South Shore, detaining all its residents, including children. Agents have arrested hundreds without warrants, randomly questioned hundreds more, and unleashed chemical weapons outside schools and in residential communities.

To date, the City's Law Department has filed more than 40 legal actions against the Trump administration, including 10 lawsuits and more than 30 amicus briefs rebuking harmful federal action. These legal actions have pushed back against the withholding of SNAP benefits, attempts to end birthright citizenship and DEI programs, restrictions on transgender rights, and more.

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