The Justice Department argued that Illinois leaders were “minimally enforcing — and oftentimes affirmatively thwarting” federal investigations, resulting in “countless criminals being released into Chicago.

A federal judge threw out the Trump administration's lawsuit against Illinois, Cook County and Chicago sanctuary policies that ban assisting in immigration-related matters.

The judge determined the state's policies are protected by the 10th Amendment, a blow to Trump's efforts to crack down on sanctuary jurisdictions.