Chicago – December 11, 2025
On December 9, 2025, Pritzker signed into law Illinois House Bill 1312 — a sweeping “sanctuary-style” law that expands protections for immigrants across the state.
The law establishes “safe zones” — civil immigration arrests or enforcement are barred at or near courthouses (including a 1,000-foot buffer zone), and during many court proceedings.
It also extends protections to hospitals, day-care centers, schools/universities, and other public institutions: hospitals must adopt formal policies for law-enforcement access; schools and day-care centers are banned from disclosing or threatening to disclose people’s immigration status unless legally required; and universities have to establish protocols before letting federal agents operate on campus.
The law gives individuals the right to sue immigration agents if they believe their constitutional rights (e.g., due process, protection from unlawful detention) were violated during civil enforcement operations — including eligibility for statutory damages (e.g., $10,000 for false imprisonment).
llinois residents can sue federal immigration agents if they believe their civil rights have been violated after Governor JB Pritzker enacted a new law on Tuesday in response to the Trump administration’s expansion of immigration enforcement nationwide.
