Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has approved a new state law that restricts when and where immigration agents can make arrests, The New York Times reported.
The measure blocks civil immigration enforcement at state courthouses and within 1,000 feet of them, and gives residents more power to sue federal agents if they believe their rights were violated.
The law was passed in October as federal authorities carried out a major immigration crackdown in the Chicago area, leading to thousands of arrests and repeated tensions with local communities.
However, supporters said the law was needed to protect residents from being detained while going about daily activities. State Representative Lilian Jiménez said, according to The New York Times, that people “should be able to go to court, take their kid to day care and have access to the university they attend without fear.”
The law also limits what information hospitals, day care centres and colleges in Illinois can share with immigration authorities.
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Republican lawmakers and the Trump administration objected to the measure. They argued it could obstruct federal work and create safety risks. Republican State Senator John Curran said during debate that he believed the law “is going to get set aside by the US Supreme Court.”
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