Homeland Security Secretary Christy Noem is reaching out to the Democratic governor of Illinois and other state officials, urging them to reconsider their sanctuary policy.
During a press conference in Springfield, Illinois, Noem emphasized the need for a “return to law and order” which officials in Illinois frame as prioritizing “American safety first.”
She was accompanied by the family of Denny McCann, who was killed in June 2011 in Chicago following an attack by Saul Chavez, an undocumented immigrant.
The family of Marine Lance James Ray Walden III, who lost his life when an undocumented individual crashed into his motorcycle, also attended the event.
“I am urging Governor Pritzker and other Illinois leaders to drop these unsafe sanctuary policies,” Noem stated in comments released prior to the press conference. “It’s time to focus on law and order and prioritize American safety.”
As the Department of Justice is pushing sanctuary cities and states to adhere to federal immigration laws, Warnertod Houston of Breitbart News reported:
With President Donald Trump’s administration intensifying its stance on deportations linked to criminal behavior, the DOJ is also looking to address policies in heavily Democratic sanctuary cities.
Earlier this year, Attorney General Pam Bondy filed a lawsuit against Illinois and Chicago regarding their sanctuary city policies, arguing that they are illegal.
The lawsuit mentioned, “Governor J.B. Pritzker and Mayor Brandon Johnson have taken legal action and indicated a willingness to collaborate with the federal government on immigration enforcement to remove offenders from the U.S.” It also accused Illinois, Chicago, and Cook County laws of purposefully undermining federal immigration enforcement and hindering necessary communication between local and federal officials to ensure community safety.
In a February interview with News Nation, Chicago Alderman Raymond Lopez pointed out inconsistencies in claims made by Illinois officials regarding the effectiveness of sanctuary policies in preventing federal law enforcement from pursuing criminals.
“The rhetoric doesn’t align with reality, whether from Pritzker or other officials,” Lopez remarked. “They insist there’s nothing impeding federal efforts to apprehend these individuals. Yet, when detainees are sent to state prisons, their cases are overlooked. Cook County Jail is often asked to release individuals into federal custody, despite their known dangers to the community.
