The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has initiated a lawsuit against Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Attorney General Kwame Raoul over the Illinois Bivens Act (HB 1312), which prohibits civil immigration arrests at courthouses and allows individuals to sue federal agents for alleged constitutional violations. The DOJ argues that this state law undermines federal operations and poses risks to the safety of federal officers. In contrast, Governor Pritzker asserts that the law aims to protect residents from fear of immigration enforcement, particularly following aggressive federal actions like Operation Midway Blitz, which led to numerous arrests by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents. Pritzker has established a commission to document potential federal violations during such operations.

In a related development, U.S. District Judge Mary McElroy has blocked the Trump administration's attempt to cut over $230 million in federal Homeland Security funding to states that do not comply with specific immigration enforcement measures. This ruling followed a lawsuit from a coalition of 12 state attorneys general, who argued that the funding cuts were punitive and jeopardized public safety. Judge McElroy criticized the administration's approach, deeming the funding cuts arbitrary and lacking a rational basis, especially in light of their importance for local law enforcement and counter-terrorism efforts.

Furthermore, ICE has announced plans to convert industrial warehouses into detention facilities capable of holding tens of thousands of individuals. This proposal includes renovations to accommodate between 5,000 and 10,000 detainees at a time, with separate housing units featuring basic amenities. Critics have raised concerns about the appropriateness of using warehouses for detention, emphasizing that such environments are not designed for human habitation and may lack adequate ventilation and sanitation. Advocates for immigrant rights have condemned the plan as dehumanizing, likening it to a network of concentration camps and highlighting the ethical implications of treating individuals as commodities.

The legal and policy landscape surrounding immigration enforcement continues to evolve, reflecting ongoing debates about the balance between federal authority and state protections, as well as the treatment of individuals within the immigration system.