Northwestern law experts on DOJ lawsuit against Chicago over sanctuary city policies

CHICAGO --- The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the city of Chicago, the state of Illinois and Cook County Thursday morning over its sanctuary city policies. The suit claims the local and state laws violate federal immigration law.

Federal prosecutors specifically called out Chicago’s Welcoming City Ordinance and Illinois’ Trust Act, both of which prevent the Chicago police department — also named in the suit — from participating in immigration enforcement and sharing the immigration status of offenders.

The DOJ claims the local laws are unconstitutional and are an intentional effort to obstruct the federal government’s enforcement of federal immigration law. 

The following professors from Northwestern Law are available for comment. 

Nadav Shoked is a professor of law at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law. His work focuses on the law and theory of property, local government law and American legal history. Only available by Zoom.   

Daniel Rodriguez is the Harold Washington Professor of Law at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law. His principal academic work is in the areas of administrative law, local government law, statutory interpretation, federal and state constitutional law and the law-business-technology interface. Available for interviews starting tomorrow, Friday, Feb. 7.  

Heidi Kitrosser is the William W. Gurley Professor of Law at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law. She is an expert on the constitutional law of federal government secrecy, separation of powers and free speech law. Available for interviews starting tomorrow, Friday, Feb. 7.  

To set up an interview with professors Shoked, Rodriguez and Kitrosser, contact Shanice Harris at shanice.harris@northwestern.edu.