Cook County Public Defender Sharone Mitchell, Jr., and a coalition of legal groups and social service organizations on Wednesday petitioned Chief Judge Tim Evans to enter a general order prohibiting immigration arrests without a court order in or around courthouses.

Court facilities have historically not been targeted for immigration enforcement in order to create conditions where defendants and witnesses are likely to show up for appearances, but sightings of federal immigration agents have increasingly been reported around area courthouses.

In the petition, the attorneys wrote that operations have been “significantly and negatively impacted by ICE’s enforcement,” citing a common law privilege against arrests within courthouses.

In September, Trump administration officials announced th

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