A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to the Champaign County Sheriff’s Office in Illinois on February 18, 2025. The request was made by a representative from Chambana Sun, a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs.
The records requested under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140, are specifically related to persons committed to the facility who have had an Immigration Detainer issued by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency lodged against them since January 29, 2024.
Additionally, requests from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security regarding civil enforcement were also sought. These are reportable under the TRUST Act, as codified at 5 ILCS 805/1, et seq., and/or the Illinois VOICES Act, as codified at 5 ILCS 825/1, et seq.
As members of Chambana Sun and The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy - a non-profit corporation that assists news media companies in investigating state and federal governmental agencies - we believe access to public records is essential for our professional responsibilities. These include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public.
We have also requested a fee waiver due to our role as media professionals in disseminating information. For more information about our coalition's work, please visit https://stopsecrecy.org/about/.
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