Welcome to Tri-Cities Central, a twice-weekly newsletter highlighting local happenings in Batavia, Geneva, St. Charles and surrounding communities.
Get yours: subscribe here. Refer a friend: share this link.
Federal immigration agents arrested two men outside the Kane County jail in St. Charles on May 31 as they were being released from a periodic imprisonment sentence.
Kane County State's Attorney Jamie Mosser and Undersheriff Amy Johnson issued a joint statement addressing the arrests and clarifying the limits of local law enforcement's role.
Here's what to know:
What happened: According to the statement, two men serving periodic imprisonment (a sentence that allows inmates to fulfill their jail time on weekends only) were arrested by federal agents in the courthouse parking lot as they were leaving. Video of the arrests was shared on Reddit (warning: strong language). Officials said a Kane County Sheriff's Deputy visible in the video was not involved in the immigration action.
Illinois TRUST Act: Under the TRUST Act, local law enforcement cannot assist federal agents in executing civil immigration warrants. The Kane County Sheriff's Office states it did not coordinate with the federal agents and is fully compliant with the law.
How the law works: The statement says that Illinois law does not prohibit federal agents from reviewing public court and jail records, and it does not bar them from being present in public spaces like a courthouse parking lot. The TRUST Act limits local assistance, but it does not restrict federal action.
The statement also clarifies confusion around Illinois House Bill 1312, which allows certain individuals to sue ICE for civil immigration arrests made within 1,000 feet of a courthouse while on their way to a court appearance.
Read the full statement.
📖 Thanks for reading
Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] with questions or comments.
Not signed up yet? Subscribe here.