On December 22, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the state of Illinois, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, and Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul challenging Illinois state legislation that aims to protect people against unconstitutional conduct by federal immigration agents during civil immigration enforcement.

In September 2025, the Trump administration initiated Operation Midway Blitz, a federal immigration operation in the Chicago area where thousands of federal agents were deployed. Federal agents conducted raids in the middle of the night, deployed tear gas, and used rubber bullets against the residents of Illinois. In order to protect the citizens of Illinois from federal overreach, Governor J.B. Pritzker signed into law HB 1312, which includes the “Illinois Bivens Act” and the “Court Access Safety, and Participation Act,” in December 2025. HB 1312 ensures immigrants and others impacted by hostile federal actions in Illinois can safely attend court hearings, protect their health information, join university communities, and access childcare for their families without fear of aggressive civil immigration enforcement actions. Additionally, it outlines steps to provide legal recourse for individuals harmed by law enforcement agents who knowingly violated Constitutional rights during civil immigration enforcement operations.

The lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice claims that HB 1312 improperly regulates federal law enforcement and puts federal officers at risk.