Chicago sues Trump admin over crackdown on sanctuary cities

CHICAGO - The City of Chicago joined a lawsuit against the Trump administration’s crackdown on so-called "sanctuary cities" around the country which have policies that limit local police cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.

What we know:

The lawsuit challenges the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security for seeking to withhold funding from Chicago and other plaintiffs with sanctuary immigration policies.

"Federal funding should never be used as a tool to coerce local authorities into compliance with unlawful mandates," said Mary B. Richardson-Lowry, Mayor Brandon Johnson’s corporate counsel, in a statement. "This legal action reaffirms our commitment to defending the rule of law and protecting the ability of local governments to set policies that serve their communities."

City attorneys argued that the U.S. Constitution prohibits the Trump administration from forcing the city to use its resources on federal immigration enforcement to receive federal funds.

The backstory:

The Trump administration’s Justice Department sued the city and the State of Illinois, arguing that their immigration policies interfere with federal enforcement efforts.

Chicago’s Welcoming City Ordinance limits the Chicago Police Department’s ability to cooperate with federal civil immigration enforcement, unless they are presented with a warrant.

RELATED: Chicago is considered a ‘sanctuary city,’ but what does that mean?

Local officials argue such a policy is necessary to help foster trust between immigrant communities and police. They say encouraging people who are undocumented to cooperate with local law enforcement helps improve public safety.