
The McHenry County sheriff has called out an Illinois law that prevents law enforcement from working with the feds on immigration matters, saying the law compromises the safety of the community.
McHenry County Sheriff Robb Tadelman issued a statement on Thursday discussing the sheriff’s office when it comes to aiding federal agencies.
The Illinois Trust Act, which was signed into law in 2017 and modified in 2021, mostly prohibits local law enforcement in Illinois from participating in immigration enforcement.
Tadelman said that law creates “significant hurdles” for local law enforcement to work effectively with federal partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The law prohibits law enforcement from honoring ICE detainers or taking action on an individual’s immigration status without a judicial warrant.
“These restrictions hinder our ability to assist in removing dangerous criminals from our neighborhoods, creating unnecessary barriers to ensuring public safety. Our office strongly believes that the first duty of government is to protect its people,” Tadelman said.
“To accomplish this, local and federal law enforcement must be able to collaborate without the constraints of politically motivated policies,” he said.
The sheriff added that the Illinois Trust Act places “undue limitations on our efforts, compromising the safety and security of the very communities we are sworn to protect.”
The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office said they will cooperate with ICE in cases where a judge has issued a criminal warrant and will continue investigating violations of criminal law and “cooperating in such investigations with federal and other law enforcement agencies to ensure public safety and maintaining the trust of our community.”
“We will continue to maintain public safety and advocate for policies that prioritize the well-being of our residents,” Tadelman said.
The sheriff said he hopes that lawmakers will revisit the Illinois Trust Act and work toward “commonsense solutions” that enable law enforcement to focus on protecting “law-abiding citizens.”
“Public safety is not a partisan issue—it is a shared responsibility. We remain committed to doing everything in our power to serve and protect the people of McHenry County,” Tadelman said.
The sheriff’s statement comes just days before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on Monday.
Trump has previously said he intends to launch a mass deportation effort after he takes the oath of office.
In an interview with NBC News, Trump said he plans to deport millions of undocumented immigrants with the priority first being those who are convicted criminals.