Governor Pritzker Critiques Trump’s ICE Claims
On Thursday, Governor JB Pritzker sharply criticized President Donald Trump’s assertion that ICE agents are targeting the “worst of the worst” to combat illegal immigration in Illinois.
“They are literally targeting black and brown people because of the color of their skin,” Pritzker stated during an appearance on Special Report.
The governor, who established the Illinois State Board of Accountancy to monitor ICE officer conduct, asserted that misconduct by these agents happens “all the time.”
Pritzker, an outspoken opponent of Trump, drew parallels between the president’s immigration policies and the actions of Nazi Germany, calling ICE agents the “thugs” of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
However, he clarified to anchor Bret Baier that the state supports law enforcement efforts that use judicial warrants to deport violent offenders.
“We want the bad guys out of the city,” he remarked, adding, “What we don’t want is for people to be racially profiled. That’s what’s happening right now.”
When pressed by Baier regarding his comparison of ICE officers, Pritzker maintained his position. “I’m referring to their actions—stripping individuals of their rights, making arrests, demanding documents,” he explained. “This sort of thing is historically seen in the early days of authoritarian regimes.”
Pritzker warned, “This is the start of something very troubling for the country, particularly for our constitutional republic.”
He emphasized that his criticism only applies when law enforcement behaves erratically, engaging in overt racial profiling.
Baier countered by suggesting that such comments could unfairly tarnish all ICE officers. In response, Pritzker insisted that accountability is lacking for those officers who act improperly.
“They’re American citizens, haven’t done anything wrong, yet they’ve been involved in terrible actions, like tackling people, and they’re not facing repercussions,” he argued.
Pritzker reiterated concerns regarding the potential for Trump’s federal forces to disrupt future elections, recalling past claims of election fraud made by the president. “If you look back to 2020, he claimed fraud after losing, and those discussions about military intervention were alarming,” he noted.
He questioned whether Trump might find such tactics appealing, stating that the president’s decision to send troops to democratic cities is not genuinely about fighting crime.
When asked by Baier to identify something positive Trump has done while in office, Pritzker acknowledged a decline in illegal border crossings. However, he criticized the president for failing to advocate for comprehensive immigration reform in Congress.
Pritzker posed the question, “Why not focus on implementing immigration reform that we can all support?” He expressed a desire for both parties to unite behind new legislation, stating, “It’s been 40 years since both sides worked together on this issue.”
In related news, President Trump’s deployment of the National Guard to Illinois has been halted indefinitely. The Trump administration announced an intent to extend a federal judge’s injunction against this deployment while awaiting a ruling from the Supreme Court, though the timeline for a decision remains unclear after the government filed an emergency appeal last week.
