Fact Check: Police in Mount Prospect shared license-plate data with the sheriff in Johnson County, Texas, who was looking for a woman whose family was worried because she had undergone a self-administered abortion.

Fact Check: Police in Mount Prospect Shared License-Plate Data with Texas Sheriff

What We Know

Recently, it was reported that police in Mount Prospect, Illinois, shared license plate data with the sheriff's office in Johnson County, Texas. This action was taken while the Texas sheriff was searching for a woman whose family was concerned for her safety after she had undergone a self-administered abortion. According to Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, this sharing of data violated state law, which prohibits the distribution of license plate data to track individuals seeking abortions or undocumented immigrants (AP News, Chicago Sun-Times).

The incident came to light following a nationwide request from the Texas sheriff for information from a network of over 83,000 cameras operated by Flock Safety, which includes those in Mount Prospect. Giannoulias confirmed that the Mount Prospect police had shared this data, which is a breach of the new law aimed at protecting individuals seeking reproductive healthcare in Illinois (Yahoo News, Daily Illini).

Analysis

The claim that Mount Prospect police shared license plate data with a Texas sheriff is substantiated by multiple reliable sources. The Illinois Secretary of State's office, which oversees compliance with state laws, has publicly stated that the Mount Prospect police department violated state law by sharing this data (AP News, Chicago Sun-Times).

The credibility of the sources reporting this incident is high, as they include established news organizations and official statements from government officials. The Illinois Secretary of State's office is a primary source of authority on this matter, and their investigation into the Mount Prospect police department further supports the claim's validity.

Moreover, the law in question was enacted to prevent the misuse of license plate data in contexts related to abortion and immigration, reflecting a broader concern about privacy and surveillance (Daily Herald, Kaiser Family Foundation). The fact that this incident has prompted an official investigation indicates the seriousness of the violation and the potential consequences for the Mount Prospect police department.

Conclusion

The claim that police in Mount Prospect shared license-plate data with the sheriff in Johnson County, Texas, regarding a woman who had undergone a self-administered abortion is True. The evidence from multiple credible sources confirms that this action violated Illinois state law, which is designed to protect individuals seeking abortions from surveillance and prosecution.

Sources

1. Illinois investigates police for sharing license plate data ...
2. Mount Prospect police probed for sharing Illinois license ...
3. Texas sheriff’s office accessed Mount Prospect license plate data in im…
4. Illinois officials: Texas police illegally accessed state ...
5. Police accused of misusing license plate data in hunt for ...
6. Illinois limits out-of-state police access to plate readers ...
7. Secretary of State: Mount Prospect license-plate reader ...
8. Illinois officials investigate data shared with police seeking ...