President Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit against the state of Illinois, Cook County, and the city of Chicago, challenging their sanctuary policies that have hindered federal immigration enforcement efforts. These laws have made it difficult for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain and deport illegal immigrants residing in the state and city.

According to the New York Post, the lawsuit claims that Illinois and Chicago have enacted policies that “interfere” with federal immigration enforcement, specifically citing the Chicago Welcoming Ordinance and the Illinois Trust Act. The Department of Justice (DOJ) has identified these laws as obstacles to ICE operations and warns that this lawsuit is just the first of many.

“We’ve identified Illinois, the city of Chicago, and Cook County as having laws and ordinances that impede federal immigration enforcement, in particular the Chicago Welcoming Ordinance and the Illinois Trust Act,” a DOJ official told the Post.

One of the key laws cited in the lawsuit, the Illinois Trust Act, which was enacted in 2017, limits local law enforcement’s cooperation with federal immigration authorities. It states, “State law does not currently grant State or local law enforcement the authority to enforce federal civil immigration laws.” Similarly, Chicago’s 2012 ordinance prohibits city agencies from cooperating with ICE, stating, “No agency or agent shall: arrest, detain or continue to detain a person solely on the belief that the person is not present legally in the United States.”

The lawsuit argues that these local and state policies contradict federal law, which prohibits “state and local governments from refusing to share information” with federal immigration authorities. The DOJ is seeking to overturn these sanctuary laws, emphasizing that they prevent ICE from fulfilling its mandate.

“This lawsuit will put the spotlight on obstruction by state and local officials and their refusal to support the administration and compliance with the law,” the DOJ official said. “The law says people who are here illegally are not allowed to stay here, they should be deported. So we want to make sure those impediments are taken away.” The official also suggested that the case could ultimately be decided by the Supreme Court.

Attorney General Pam Bondi echoed the administration’s stance, telling the Post, “For too long, leaders in Illinois and Chicago have abused their power by putting the comfort of illegal aliens over the safety and welfare of their own citizens. This ends today. The Department of Justice will no longer stand by as state and local leaders obstruct federal law enforcement efforts, endangering their citizens and the brave men and women in uniform.”

Bondi issued a stark warning to other jurisdictions with similar policies, stating, “If you are a leader of a state or local jurisdiction that obstructs or impedes federal law enforcement, you will be next.”