Over 70 Illinois Counties Won’t Enforce State’s Assault Weapon’s Ban

Illinois sNearly 80 county heriffs are refusing state’s “enforceable” laws.assault weapons“Ban that was signed into law recently by Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

Pritzker signed into law the Protect Illinois Communities Act on Jan. 10. This bans the sale and distribution of alcoholic beverages. “assault weapons,” High-capacity magazines and switches are legal in Illinois. These guns should be registered by the Illinois State Police by January 1, 2024.

However, at most 74 sheriffs’ departments have publicly declared that they will not enforce this ban, stating that it violates the Second Amendment. according to ABC News.

Edwards County Sheriff Darby Boewe wrote in statement His duty is to defend the right of people to keep and bear arms.

ILLINOIS LEGISLATURE PASSES ASSAULT-STYLE WEAPONS BAN

“The right to keep and bear arms for defense of life, liberty, and property is regarded as an inalienable right by the people,” Boewe wrote. “Therefore, as the custodian of the jail and chief law enforcement officer for Edwards County, that neither myself or my office will be checking to ensure that lawful gun owners register their weapons with the State, nor will we be arresting or housing individuals that have been charged solely with noncompliance of this act.”

According to ABC News, Jim Kaitschuk, Executive Director of the Illinois Sheriffs Association, drafted the statement and sent it out to sheriffs departments for use or to make changes if necessary.

DuPage and Sangamon counties were among the 74 departments to have issued similar modified statements. Clinton Perzee, Sheriff of Iroquois County, stated that he will not allow his jails to be used for civil rights violations. according to The Lake and McHenry County Scanner.

Pritzker spoke at an event in Quincy, Jan. 12, and stated that law enforcement must enforce the law or be removed from the field.

(Justin L. Fowler/The State Journal-Register via AP

They took an oath to uphold the law. As law enforcement, that’s their job, and I expect them to do that job,” Pritzker said at the event.

Many counties are said to have designated themselves “Second Amendment sanctuary cities,” Pritzker dismissed this at the Quincy event.

“You can have all the resolutions and declarations that you want. The reality is that the laws that are on the books, you don’t get to choose which ones people are going to follow,” Pritzker said.

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The Washington Examiner Pritzker’s Office was reached for comment.