The U.S. Justice Department sued the state of Illinois and city of Chicago on Thursday, accusing the Democratic strongholds of unlawfully interfering with Republican President Donald Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration and seeking a court order blocking so-called sanctuary laws.

Trump administration officials are suing Illinois and top state officials, hoping to force them to turn over suspected illegal immigrants rather than releasing them from jails and state prisons. The lawsuit filed Thursday is among the most recent efforts by Trump officials to push liberal-led states,