Tinley Park Police Accused of Violating Illinois TRUST Act

ACLU says officer may have illegally shared driver's information with ICE during a routine traffic stop

Apr. 15, 2026 at 10:10am

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A cinematic painting of a solitary police car parked on a dimly lit suburban street, the vehicle's silhouette bathed in warm, diagonal sunlight and deep shadows, conceptually representing the tensions between local law enforcement and federal immigration policies.A lone police vehicle on a quiet suburban street raises questions about the boundaries of local law enforcement's role in federal immigration matters.Tinley Park Today

The American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois has accused a Tinley Park police officer of violating the state's TRUST Act by informing federal immigration authorities about a driver he pulled over for speeding and finding had a deportation warrant. The officer allegedly shared the driver's personal information with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, leading to the driver's arrest 13 days later.

Why it matters

The TRUST Act was passed to limit local law enforcement's cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, in order to promote public safety and encourage undocumented immigrants to feel comfortable reporting crimes without fear of deportation. This case raises questions about the law's effectiveness and potential loopholes.

The details

During a routine traffic stop for speeding, Tinley Park police officer Jason L'Amas ran the driver's information and found a federal warrant for his deportation. L'Amas then contacted an ICE agent, provided the driver's personal details, and shared a photo of him. The driver was taken into custody by ICE 13 days later.

  • On August 27, 2025, Officer L'Amas reported the driver and his information to the U.S. Bureau of Immigration.
  • On September 9, 2025, the driver was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The players

Jason L'Amas

A Tinley Park police officer who conducted the traffic stop and reported the driver to immigration authorities.

Molly Fuller

An ICE specialist who communicated with Officer L'Amas about the driver and requested additional information.

Edward Stodolny

A DHS deportation officer who later informed Officer L'Amas that ICE had taken the driver into custody.

Fred Tsao

A writer of the Illinois TRUST Act and senior policy counsel for the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, who commented on the case.

Ed Yohnka

The communication director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois, who criticized the officer's actions as a 'shocking betrayal of public trust.'

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What they’re saying

“It seems like what happened here definitely breaks with the spirit of the TRUST Act. But it's safe to say that there's a lot of gray area, and as much as we want to discourage active information sharing and communication with, you know, in order to facilitate immigration enforcements, there's still language in the TRUST Act that could be clearer.”

— Fred Tsao, Senior policy counsel, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights

“I think to any reasonable person the officer engaged in federal civil immigration enforcement, and this is what the TRUST Act prohibits. The whole thing is just really disappointing.”

— Ed Yohnka, Communication director, American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois

What’s next

The Illinois Attorney General's office has said it will investigate the claims, but has not provided further details.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing challenges in balancing public safety, immigration enforcement, and the intent of laws like the Illinois TRUST Act. It raises questions about potential loopholes, the need for clearer language, and the importance of proper training and oversight to ensure local law enforcement upholds the spirit of such laws.