30 arrested in Cook County amid federal immigration sweep
(Immigration And Customs Enforcement)
CHICAGO (AP) - Federal immigration officials say they arrested 30 people in Cook County as part of a nationwide sweep targeting "sanctuary" jurisdictions, which limit local authorities' cooperation in immigration investigations.
In a news release, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said they arrested 498 people from 42 countries during the four-day operation. Of those, 317 had criminal convictions.
Chicago and Cook County are among the jurisdictions that refuse to allow immigration agents access to local jails or to notify agents when someone in the United States illegally is about to be released from custody.
ICE acting Director Tom Homan said in a news release Thursday that those local policies of non-cooperation create "magnets for illegal immigration" and force ICE to "conduct at-large arrests in these communities."