Traveling by plane from Nevada to Chicago, planning to bring my firearm.

I'll be traveling to Chicago in June for a wedding. I understand that it's illegal for me to carry my firearm on my person in any fashion in town, but even though I cant carry it I would still like to bring my firearm with me to keep in my hotel room during my stay. I intend to check my firearm in my luggage in accordance with TSA and airline regulations, and I've done this many time, just never to a place that demonstrates blatant disregard for my civil rights. Should I expect the airlines or the TSA to report my firearm to the police and be arrested when I land and claim my bags? I've heard this has happened in New York. Any thoughts?

Anyone?

well,,,

i read their forum awhile back, to check out their carry laws.
Well,,, they aint really got any!
But, and its a big but,,, they had figgured out, that an unloaded gun, in a fanny pack, was technically lawful transport!
But, and this is also a big but,,, you never tell a cop that you are transporting a gun in your fanny pack!!!!
YMMV.....

Do not even think about transporting a handgun in a fanny pack around Chicago. I live in the South end of the state and things are much different down this way.

I have asked about wheather you could get away with it in the motel room and will get back to you as soon as I can.

This might help:



http://www.isp.state.il.us/docs/1-154.pdf

Nevada carrier said:

Should I expect the airlines or the TSA to report my firearm to the police and be arrested when I land and claim my bags? I've heard this has happened in New York. Any thoughts?

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People transport firearms in and out of here all the time and I have never heard of that. Refer to the brochure above.

Travelling through Chicago/O'Hare en route to somewhere you may legally possess a hand gun (I.e., western Michigan or Minnesota) is legal, falls under 'safe transport'.

Traveling to Illinois to stay in a Chicago hotel would be illegal, anyone possessing a firearm in the city of Chicago must have a FOID and gun must be registered. Chicago is technically worse then NYC, they have NO concealed carry at all. NYC will hassle you if you are changing flights with legally checked firearms in your baggage but Chicago will not.

CaptainFinn said:

Travelling through Chicago/O'Hare en route to somewhere you may legally possess a hand gun (I.e., western Michigan or Minnesota) is legal, falls under 'safe transport'.

Traveling to Illinois to stay in a Chicago hotel would be illegal, anyone possessing a firearm in the city of Chicago must have a FOID and gun must be registered. Chicago is technically worse then NYC, they have NO concealed carry at all. NYC will hassle you if you are changing flights with legally checked firearms in your baggage but Chicago will not.

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If the gentleman is staying in Chicago, it becomes a whole different matter since they have their own set of laws which I am not familiar with. An out of state person doesn't need a FOID card ( http://www.state.il.us/court/opinions/SupremeCourt/2011/April/109130.pdf ) in IL though.

This state is a damn nightmare :banghead:

An out of state resident can not get an FOID card and therefore they don't have to worry about that part . You can fly into Chicago with a firearm but if you are staying more than 23 hrs , you would probably run into trouble. Probably when you went to check in to fly home.

Since you are coming for a wedding , I assume you will be in Chicago a few days. I wouldn't recommend you try it. Just not worth getting a felony charge against you because of that cities gun laws. At the very least , you would loose your gun if caught and never see it again. Sucks but that's the way it is.

Most of the rest of the state , you wouldn't have much of a problem.

jayspapa said:

An out of state resident can not get an FOID card and therefore they don't have to worry about that part . You can fly into Chicago with a firearm but if you are staying more than 23 hrs , you would probably run into trouble. Probably when you went to check in to fly home.

Since you are coming for a wedding , I assume you will be in Chicago a few days. I wouldn't recommend you try it. Just not worth getting a felony charge against you because of that cities gun laws. At the very least , you would loose your gun if caught and never see it again. Sucks but that's the way it is.

Most of the rest of the state , you wouldn't have much of a problem.

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I didn't want to say it but I guess I will - I agree with jayspapa, you may want to reconsider bringing your firearm into IL if you'll be staying in Chicago; you risk a felony charge. I also agree there could be an issue when checking in the firearm with TSA on your return flight home if they start asking a bunch of questions about staying in Chicago. Just my humble opinion.

Edit: Chicago ordinance: (seems to indicate possession of a handgun outside the home even with a Chicago permit is illegal other than transporting it)

http://www.isp.state.il.us/docs/ordinances/chicago.pdf

What about long guns? Are Chicago's redoncoulous gun laws centered around handguns? I could always bring my AR.

Nevada carrier said:

I could always bring my AR.

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That's as bad as/possibly worse than bringing a handgun into Chicago. There's an "assault weapon" ban in Chicago/Cook County; the IL supreme court basically upheld the statute but kicked it back to the lower courts on 2a issues. (Wilson v. County of Cook - http://www.state.il.us/court/opinions/SupremeCourt/2012/112026.pdf).

As far as I can tell, if staying in Chicago, anything you bring can get you into a lot of trouble. They even regulate OC spray to some extent (popping some off in a confined space). I know, it sucks, but imagine having to live here with all this nonsense.

Be careful of the knife you carry also. I think Chicago has a blade limit of 2 & 1/2 inches.

Jesus Herbert Walker Christ. Am I allowed to carry my iPhone? Would I have to remove the Magpul case I use to avoid being charged with possession of an assault phone?

Nevada carrier said:

Jesus Herbert Walker Christ. Am I allowed to carry my iPhone? Would I have to remove the Magpul case I use to avoid being charged with possession of an assault phone?

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Just don't take any videos containing audio of cops with your iPhone - it's a felony in IL. (no I'm not kidding)

(720 ILCS 5/14-4) (from Ch. 38, par. 14-4)
Sec. 14-4. Sentence.
(a) Eavesdropping, for a first offense, is a Class 4 felony and, for a second or subsequent offense, is a Class 3 felony.

(b) The eavesdropping of an oral conversation or an electronic communication between any law enforcement officer, State's Attorney, Assistant State's Attorney, the Attorney General, Assistant Attorney General, or a judge, while in the performance of his or her official duties, if not authorized by this Article or proper court order, is a Class 1 felony.

1245A Defender said:

i read their forum awhile back, to check out their carry laws.
Well,,, they aint really got any!
But, and its a big but,,, they had figgured out, that an unloaded gun, in a fanny pack, was technically lawful transport!
But, and this is also a big but,,, you never tell a cop that you are transporting a gun in your fanny pack!!!!
YMMV.....

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Its not a fanny pack, its a satchel. Indiana Jones has one.

I live in Indiana, I can walk to Illinois from my house. I have an IN license to carry and have non-res permits from 3 other states. With current reciprocity between the states, I am legal to carry in 37 states. I always carry, EXCEPT when I am in Illinois. I have to drive through Illinois anytime I travel to Wisconsin to visit my grandchildren, or any other destinations to the west. I detest the fact that I have to case my weapon when driving through Illinois. It is a bad situation, very bad. Illinois is THE most backwards state in the union when it comes to 2nd Amendment rights.

If you check your firearms you "should" be OK at the airport, but that's not even guaranteed. While transporting through Illinois, the handgun must be unloaded and in a locked case away from the ammo. There are minimal provisions in place for IL residents, but not for non-residents. I think this entire situation is slowly changing, but for now Illinois might as well be Russia if you are a non-res. You can not legally possess a loaded firearm as a non-resident in Illinois, not even in your hotel room.

Avoid Illinois like the plague. It is a communist country whose socialist leaders are either in prison or in the White House.

1245A Defender said:

i read their forum awhile back, to check out their carry laws.
Well,,, they aint really got any!
But, and its a big but,,, they had figgured out, that an unloaded gun, in a fanny pack, was technically lawful transport!
But, and this is also a big but,,, you never tell a cop that you are transporting a gun in your fanny pack!!!!
YMMV.....

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This is only true for Illinois residents. If you are an Illinois resident AND you have an Illinois FOID (Firearm Owners Identification) card, THEN you can carry an UNLOADED firearm out of its case, with a loaded magazine nearby. I know this is true for carrying in vehicles, but not sure about other situations. I believe a recent IL supreme court case involved a non-res carrying without an IL FOID card. I believe the court ruled in his favor, but I would not want to go through what he went through. Best to steer clear of IL if at all possible, and spend your money in more gun-friendly states.

Roy V said:

Just don't take any videos containing audio of cops with your iPhone - it's a felony in IL. (no I'm not kidding)

(720 ILCS 5/14-4) (from Ch. 38, par. 14-4)
Sec. 14-4. Sentence.
(a) Eavesdropping, for a first offense, is a Class 4 felony and, for a second or subsequent offense, is a Class 3 felony.

(b) The eavesdropping of an oral conversation or an electronic communication between any law enforcement officer, State's Attorney, Assistant State's Attorney, the Attorney General, Assistant Attorney General, or a judge, while in the performance of his or her official duties, if not authorized by this Article or proper court order, is a Class 1 felony.

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As of today that's been overturned!

http://volokh.com/2012/05/08/sevent...g-of-police-officers-likely-unconstitutional/

From ACLU v. Alvarez (7th Cir. May 8, 2012) (Judge Sykes joined by Judge Hamilton, with Judge Posner dissenting):

We reverse and remand with instructions to allow the amended complaint and enter a preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of the eavesdropping statute as applied to audio recording of the kind alleged here.
The Illinois eavesdropping statute restricts a medium of expression commonly used for the preservation and communication of information and ideas, thus triggering First Amendment scrutiny. Illinois has criminalized the nonconsensual recording of most any oral communication, including recordings of public officials doing the public’s business in public and regardless of whether the re cording is open or surreptitious.
​

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Do stay tuned for further developments and to see how it finally turns out. But pending the remand decision you can go out and record the cops in Illinois. Somehow I do not see the court granting a stay of the injunction until the remand decision is delivered.

stay safe.

skidmark said:

As of today that's been overturned!

http://volokh.com/2012/05/08/sevent...g-of-police-officers-likely-unconstitutional/



Do stay tuned for further developments and to see how it finally turns out. But pending the remand decision you can go out and record the cops in Illinois. Somehow I do not see the court granting a stay of the injunction until the remand decision is delivered.

stay safe.

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Thanks for the update - I'm going to read the case now (66 pages, ugh)

Roy