Donald Trump launches open war against sanctuary cities
The Justice Department’s lawsuit against Chicago and Illinois, along with a House investigation, cap months of threats directed at jurisdictions with laws that limit local cooperation with federal immigration authorities
Since the presidential campaign, Trump has portrayed Chicago as a city plagued by crime, a lawless pit, and even a war zone. He has held it up as the prime example of the chaos and misgovernance supposedly caused by its status as a sanctuary city, which prevents law enforcement from collaborating with immigration authorities to identify, detain, and deport undocumented immigrants. Trump vowed that Chicago would be the starting point for dismantling such jurisdictions that restrict cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) — a promise he has since acted upon. His administration has launched multiple initiatives, including a lawsuit against Chicago and Illinois, as well as a congressional investigation into several sanctuary cities.
