The Shield Is Cracking

No Badge Above the Law: The Shield Is Cracking

Let’s be clear: what ICE agents are doing in Illinois isn’t just morally wrong — it may be illegal under state law. And while federal immunity has long shielded these agents from consequences, that shield is starting to crack.

Illinois passed the TRUST Act in 2017 to protect residents from unlawful detention. It prohibits local law enforcement from holding people solely on ICE’s request unless there’s a criminal warrant. It also bars sharing private information with ICE without a court order.

Then came the Way Forward Act in 2021, which went even further. It banned local jails from contracting with ICE to detain immigrants and required the state to cut ties with ICE detention programs entirely.

But ICE didn’t stop. In Franklin Park, an ICE agent fatally shot a man — and the federal government refused to release basic details. Governor Pritzker called it “the most unusual situation I’ve seen in my entire lifetime,” condemning the lack of transparency and oversight.

In Chicago, ICE conducted a military-style raid with 300 agents and a Black Hawk helicopter. A federal judge later ruled that ICE violated a consent decree by using blank I-200 forms to arrest people without probable cause.

So yes — the shield is cracking. These aren’t isolated incidents. They’re part of a pattern of abuse that violates both constitutional rights and state sanctuary laws. And while ICE agents may hide behind federal authority, history shows that civil litigation, state enforcement, and public pressure can pierce that armor.

We’re documenting. We’re organizing. And we’re preparing for the day when these agents — and their enablers — are finally held accountable.