STATE PROFILE: Illinois

# Illinois — LexisNexis / PSDEX State Profile

*Last updated: May 2026*

## The Short Version

Illinois is home to the most documented case of law enforcement data reaching ICE through a private intermediary. Cook County's jail booking data travels through two private companies — Appriss and LexisNexis — before reaching ICE, bypassing the state's own sanctuary law. A public hearing was held. The contract was renewed anyway.

## The Sanctuary Law

The Illinois TRUST Act (2017) prohibits state and local law enforcement from arresting or detaining people solely on the basis of civil immigration violations or responding to ICE detainer requests. Cook County has its own additional ICE detainer ordinance (2011). Chicago has a Welcoming City Ordinance (2012). These are among the strongest sanctuary protections in the Midwest.

## The Cook County VINE Pipeline

Cook County's State's Attorney Office has contracted with Appriss since 2015 for VINE — a victim notification service that alerts registered contacts when an inmate is released. The contract contains a clause called the 'Risk Solutions' clause that authorizes Appriss to share real-time Cook County Jail booking data with LexisNexis Risk Solutions. LexisNexis packages that data into its Accurint investigative database.

The contract has grown from its original $786,000 value to over $1 million. It was renewed in October 2024, adding $278,000 for 2025-2026.

ICE held a $22.1 million contract with LexisNexis from 2021 through early 2026 that included access to Accurint. A public records request by Just Futures Law revealed that ICE's Chicago Field Office ran over 13,000 LexisNexis searches in just six months of 2021, producing over 1,800 civil immigration enforcement reports.

## Why the Sanctuary Law Doesn't Apply

The TRUST Act restricts what Cook County law enforcement can do directly. It does not restrict what a private company (Appriss) can do with data it receives under a service contract, or what a second private company (LexisNexis) can do with data it receives from the first. The data flows: Cook County Jail → Appriss (via VINE contract) → LexisNexis (via Risk Solutions clause) → ICE (via federal subscription).

## The Public Hearing

In July 2022, Cook County held the first public hearing of its kind in the nation specifically about this data pipeline. Advocates from Just Futures Law, Mijente, ICIRR, and others testified. The county received a written assurance from Appriss that Cook County data would not be shared with ICE. No legal enforcement mechanism was attached to that assurance. The board voted to keep the contract. A second renewal followed in October 2024.

## The Comparator

New York City's Appriss VINE contract does not contain the Risk Solutions clause. Cook County Commissioner Alma Anaya confirmed this publicly. This proves the clause can be removed — agencies can have victim notification services without the data flowing to LexisNexis.

## Other LexisNexis Products

- **Illinois State Police**: Confirmed Accurint for Law Enforcement subscriber (Atlas of Surveillance). ISP manages statewide crash reporting through its own portal — not LexisNexis BuyCrash. - **Downers Grove PD** (DuPage County): AVCC + TraX confirmed (three-year agreement, July 2024 council resolution, $55,306). - **Chicago PD**: No direct LexisNexis products confirmed. Chicago PD arrest data reaches LexisNexis indirectly through the Cook County jail system.

## Open Questions

1. Did the February 2026 completion of the LexisNexis-ICE LEIDS contract end the ICE access pathway? Has it been renewed? 2. How many Illinois county jails participate in VINE through the statewide system? (88 confirmed per 2024 Illinois General Assembly report) 3. Do any other Illinois county jail contracts with Appriss contain the Risk Solutions clause?

## FOIA Targets

- Illinois FOIA (5 ILCS 140), 5 business days - Cook County State's Attorney — full Appriss VINE contract with all amendments - Illinois State Police — any AVCC/PSDEX addendum on top of Accurint subscription