RSHC HELPS CITY OF CHICAGO FILE LAWSUIT TO PREVENT TRUMP ADMINISTRATION FROM VIOLATING FOURTH AMENDMENT RIGHTS
The City of Chicago has filed a federal lawsuit to prevent President Donald Trump's Justice Department from making a federal crime prevention grant that is critical to public safety efforts conditional on unrelated and unlawful immigration enforcement actions. Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila and WilmerHale are providing their services to the City of Chicago pro bono to assist in this important effort.
On August 3, 2017, the U.S. Department of Justice published the application for FY2017 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program, which provides states and cities with federal funding to support local law enforcement efforts. This year’s iteration requires that new conditions be met by local municipalities in order to be eligible for grant funding. These conditions effectively federalize local detention facilities and violate Fourth Amendment rights where detainees are otherwise lawfully eligible for release from police custody.