Cook County’s Response on Department of Justice Compliance Determination of the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant

On June 29, 2017, Cook County submitted a legal opinion to DOJ certifying compliance with federal law, specifically 8 U.S.C. §1373. We did this at DOJ's request in an attempt to ensure the continuity of federal funding that the County relies on to protect the public safety of our residents. Although we have not received a formal response from DOJ to date, we have been informed by the media that, following a preliminary assessment, the DOJ disagrees with the legal opinion we submitted. The County has since pulled a copy of the correspondence from the DOJ website which challenges a County Ordinance and Resolution. The County maintains that it is in compliance with all applicable federal laws, and is currently evaluating what additional response and action may be required.