Chicago Sues Over Trump's 'Unlawful Misguided Action'

Lawsuit fights back against sanctuary city crackdown
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 7, 2017 2:14 AM CDT
'Sanctuary City' Chicago Sues Justice Department
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel speaks during a press conference on sanctuary cities.   (AP Photo/Matt Marton, File)

Chicago is fighting back against the Trump's administration's crackdown on "sanctuary cities." Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced Sunday that Chicago is suing the Justice Department over efforts to place new conditions on federal law enforcement grant money as a means to force local authorities to cooperate with federal immigration authorities, the Wall Street Journal reports. "Chicago will not be blackmailed into changing our values, and we are and will remain a welcoming city," the Democratic mayor said in a statement, warning that Trump's "latest unlawful misguided action undermines public safety and violates" the Constitution.

"The federal government should be working with cities to provide necessary resources to improve public safety, not concocting new schemes to reduce our crime fighting resources," the mayor said. The lawsuit focuses on new conditions set for the federal Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant, which has paid millions for equipment like Chicago police vehicles and SWAT gear over the years, reports CNN, which outlines the new conditions. The city wants a court to declare those conditions unlawful. The Justice Department fired back at Emanuel, with spokesman Devin O'Malley saying it is "tragic" that instead of focusing on Chicago's "staggering" murder rate, the mayor "is spending time and taxpayer money protecting criminal aliens and putting Chicago's law enforcement at greater risk." (More sanctuary cities stories.)

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