Prairie State Wire

An organization that helps citizens obtain public records is demanding State of Illinois and county officials release details on how many and which illegal aliens with immigration detainers are currently in their custody.

On Wednesday, the Coalition Opposing Government Secrecy (COGS) sent Freedom of Information Act requests to Illinois state prisons and county jails asking for copies of records on illegal aliens committed to their facilities that are the subject of a detainer order.

At the order of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, Illinois law enforcement officials have been keeping secret details of illegal aliens they have arrested and for which crimes, as well as whether they remain in state custody. 

Edward "Coach" Weinhaus | Weinhaus

According to copies of the requests, obtained by Prairie State Wire, COGS also asked for copies of "requests from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security regarding civil enforcement" and "Immigration Detainers received from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (both) which are reportable under the TRUST Act....and/or the Illinois VOICES Act."

The request comes as U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) agents have been forced by Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker to track down illegal alien criminals on the streets of Chicago and its suburbs, rather than arresting them while already in police custody.

“These are bad guys,” U.S. "Border Czar" Tom Homan told NewsNation’s “Morning in America. “It’s a shame we couldn’t get these guys in the county jails, but the sanctuary cities don’t let us in their jails.”

Per Pritzker, all Illinois cities are so-called "Sanctuary Cities," where police are required to protect illegal alien criminals from federal immigration officials.

"If only the federal government had a way to easily find lawbreakers to deport," said COGS' attorney Edward "Coach" Weinhaus. "Start with the lawless governors hiding them. Imagine breaking the law, then using public resources to escape consequence, then getting special privacy protection that actual Illinois citizens don't."

"Illegal aliens breaking the law in Illinois are allowed to do it in secret," Weinhaus said. "Governors cannot hide from the public details of some criminal activity because it may be politically embarrassing."

Founded in 2023, COGS says its "mission is to aid and encourage citizen participation in government and the political process, and to empower the public by helping them access publicly available information via Freedom of Information, Sunshine and similar requests for government records."

The group is known for filing lawsuits on behalf of citizens against local government entities that refuse to respond to public records requests.