CHICAGO (AP) – Illinois will effectively end immigration detention and strengthen protections limiting cooperation with federal immigration agents under a plan signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker. The measure targets local agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement allowing county jails to house immigrant detainees awaiting court appearances. Current contracts would end by January and no new contracts would be allowed. Three counties – Kankakee, Pulaski and McHenry – have such agreements and currently house roughly 260 immigrant detainees. Proponents of the law say it’ll end inhumane practices in Illinois and encourage alternatives. But some counties argue they’ll lose much-needed revenue.
