Trump’s DOJ files lawsuit against Illinois for restricting program meant to bar illegal alien workers

The U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the state of Illinois over state efforts against businesses using a federal program meant to weed out illegal aliens from being hired and competing with U.S. citizens for jobs.

Illinois officials have implemented legislation that complicates and discourages the use of E-Verify and threatens to punish businesses with fines for noncompliance. The federal government alleges that the “Right to Privacy in the Workplace Act” infringes on federal immigration authority.

‘Such advance notice requirements could prompt an alien employee to not show up to work on the day of inspection or avoid detection …’

“This Department of Justice is committed to protecting American workers, employers, and enforcing federal immigration law,” said U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi in a press release about the lawsuit.

“Any state that incentivizes illegal immigration and makes it harder for federal authorities to do their job will face legal consequences from this administration,” she added.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat, signed the bill in August after it was passed by the legislature, and it went into effect in January just as President Donald Trump entered office.

Critics of the law said that it put employers in an untenable position, as they faced fines from the state if they followed federal law, but faced federal fines if they followed the state law. The state law could impose fines as high as $10,000 for noncompliance.

“Not only are these fines inconsistent with federal law, but such advance notice requirements could prompt an alien employee to not show up to work on the day of inspection or avoid detection by immigration authorities,” read the press release.

Illinois state Sen. Javier Cervantes, a Democrat, who was the primary sponsor of the law, said that it was intended to “protect marginalized workers from unfair enforcement action during their employment.”

Chad Mizelle, Bondi’s chief of staff, praised the lawsuit on social media.

“We are going after Illinois for restricting E-Verify. To eliminate illegal immigration, encourage self-deportations, and protect U.S. workers, we MUST shut off unlawful job access,” wrote Mizelle.

“There will be consequences for any state that incentivizes illegal immigration,” he added.

Illinois Democrats had previously run afoul of the courts after they simply banned the use of E-Verify by employers in 2007. That law was found to be in violation of the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution and shut down in 2009.

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