Federal authorities have issued subpoenas to Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart, targeting inmates wanted for civil immigration enforcement. According to the sheriff’s office, the federal letters threatened criminal charges if these individuals were not handed over.
The New York Times first reported on these letters, describing them as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to penetrate jails in sanctuary jurisdictions. Letters were also sent to Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt, who described them as a “scare tactic.” Hennepin County, which includes Minneapolis, has seen increased immigration enforcement following “Operation Midway Blitz.”
Dart’s office confirmed threats of witness tampering charges. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has not responded to requests for comment. Legal experts suggest actual criminal charges may not stand in court, but the letters represent ongoing tension over immigration enforcement in Illinois, which the Trump administration has targeted for its sanctuary policies. These policies prohibit local law enforcement participation in civil immigration enforcement.
Sheriff Dawanna Witt of Hennepin County highlighted these concerns in her office on February 4, 2026, as reported by Jamie Kelter Davis for The New York Times.
A spokesperson for Dart stated they received two letters accompanying subpoenas for inmates, though one inmate was already released upon receipt. The office was mandated to facilitate an interview with federal agents, either by allowing the person to attend or by ensuring their presence post-release.
State law, however, prevents the Cook County Sheriff’s Office from surrendering individuals for such interviews. Consequently, without a federal criminal warrant or court order, the office cannot deliver inmates to federal immigration agencies.
The Trump administration has criticized Governor JB Pritzker and other officials for these sanctuary laws, which blocked local compliance with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer requests. The Cook County sheriff’s office and the Illinois Department of Corrections insist that state law prohibits their assistance with federal immigration enforcement.
In 2025, a lawsuit challenging Illinois, Cook County, and Chicago’s sanctuary policies was dismissed by a federal judge. The administration argued these laws impeded federal immigration operations.
“Sanctuary policies have a long history in the United States,” legal experts and immigration advocates emphasize. They were designed to maintain trust between police and the community to tackle public safety issues.
In 2017, the Illinois TRUST Act was enacted to foster cooperation between law enforcement and local populations. Chicago’s sanctuary city status was established decades earlier. In March 1985, Mayor Harold Washington signed an executive order enhancing Chicago’s sanctuary city status.