WATCH: Pritzker encourages protests as feds challenge use of force lawsuit

By Greg Bishop | The Center Square
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – As the use of force challenge against the Trump administration’s enforcement of immigration law continues, Gov. J.B. Pritzker is still encouraging protesters.

Plaintiffs groups say federal officials are using excessive force while enforcing immigration law. A district judge issued a preliminary injunction against federal officials last month. In their latest appeals court filing revealed Monday, attorneys for officials with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security say they are going up against protesters that turn to violence.

“Officers carrying out immigration-enforcement operations have routinely encountered groups of protesters that have actively impeded and threatened DHS personnel,” the filing said. “In addition, cartels and criminal organizations – including the Latin Kings – have reportedly placed ‘bounties’ for the murder of senior DHS officers operating in the area.”

Attorneys are asking the appeals court to vacate the district court’s temporary restraining order.

The plaintiffs group, including the Chicago Headline Club, has until Friday to respond in the appeals court.

Tuesday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said he is still encouraging people to protest immigration enforcement.

“I’m not going to discourage people from showing up in protest,” Pritzker told reporters at an unrelated event in Chicago. “I think that’s one of the best ways in the United States to get your message across, again peacefully, peacefully.”

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi told President Donald Trump during a cabinet meeting Tuesday that the administration is finding success in the courts while also going after offenders.

“President Trump, we’ve charged more than 500 defendants with assault on federal officers thanks to your directive,” Bondi told the president.

A hearing in the use of force case is scheduled in the appeals court for Dec. 17.

The use of force case is just one of several lawsuits in Illinois federal courts dealing with immigration enforcement. The Trump administration has a pending lawsuit challenging Illinois’ migrant sanctuary policies.

The state has a lawsuit against the Trump administration over use of the National Guard. The Trump administration contends to the U.S. Supreme Court in an emergency motion it needs to protect federal assets from violent protesters.

State Rep. Patrick Windhorst warned that a measure legislators passed during veto session on Halloween to enhance the state’s migrant sanctuary policies will make matters more tenuous.

“It’s just going to be one more barrier for us to see the law enforced as it should be in an orderly way and will potentially create other arguments to be made that actions taken by the federal government, beyond the normal law enforcement actions, would be constitutional or allowed by federal law,” Windhorst told The Center Square.

Pritzker said he advocated for House Bill 1312. The measure was sent to his desk late last month.