A December 7 ruling by a federal judge upheld a new law to outlaw for-profit detention centers in Illinois. U.S. District Judge Philip G. Reinhard of the Northern District of Illinois dismissed a lawsuit filed by two Illinois counties hoping to keep their ICE detention contracts that were outlawed in the Illinois Forward Act. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed the Illinois Forward Act into law Monday, August 2, 2021, to end immigrant detention and restrict local city and county law enforcement’s ability to cooperate with federal immigration. The new law requires the existing three agreements between local jails in McHenry, Pulaski and Kankakee counties and ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) to end by January 1, 2022.
McHenry and Kankakee counties sued to stop the Illinois Way Forward Act from going into effect. According to news reports, the Kankakee County jail had a daily average of 35 ICE detainees and McHenry County had a daily average of 101 ICE detainees as of October. Both counties collect millions of dollars each year from the federal government for detaining immigrants in ICE custody.
Injustice Watch reviewed copies of the contracts and said the counties have until January 1 to terminate their ICE detention contracts. The contract termination goes into effect 30 days later.
Governor Pritzker wants to establish Illinois as the most welcoming state in the nation.
Contact Godoy Law Office’s skilled immigration lawyers in Chicago, Lombard and Oak Brook. We can answer any questions about immigration and guide you through every step of the process.
Godoy Law Office serves the entire Chicago, Illinois area including DuPage, Cook, Kane, Will, and Lake Counties.
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AREAS WE SERVE: Godoy Law Office serves the entire Chicago, Illinois area including DuPage, Cook, Kane, Will, and Lake Counties
