Springfield, Illinois – Illinois officials are suing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security after Gov. JB Pritzker said federal immigration operations “terrorized” and “assaulted” neighborhoods, raising constitutional and public safety concerns.
According to Pritzker, the lawsuit—filed by Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul—targets actions by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, alleging dangerous use of force and unlawful escalation during enforcement activities in Illinois communities.
“We’ve watched in horror as unchecked federal agents assaulted and terrorized our communities and neighborhoods,” Pritzker said in a statement posted to his verified social media account. He accused the Trump administration of intimidation tactics that undermined due process and threatened public safety.
Pritzker said the state is seeking court intervention to halt what he described as repeated violations of constitutional rights, arguing that federal enforcement actions crossed legal boundaries and created fear in residential areas. He framed the lawsuit as an effort to prevent those practices from becoming normalized.
“There should be due process in this country,” Pritzker said, adding that Illinois would not accept what he characterized as unlawful conduct by federal authorities operating within the state.
The governor emphasized that the legal challenge is aimed at DHS oversight and accountability, not immigration policy itself. The complaint, as described by state officials, focuses on how enforcement actions were carried out rather than who was targeted.
The Department of Homeland Security had not issued a response in the materials reviewed addressing the allegations or the lawsuit.
The case adds to growing friction between Democratic-led states and the Trump administration over federal authority, immigration enforcement, and the limits of executive power. For Illinois residents—particularly those in densely populated urban areas—the lawsuit could shape how federal agents conduct operations within neighborhoods going forward.
