DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin sharply criticized Illinois Governor JB Pritzker on Monday, accusing him of tarnishing the reputation of federal law enforcement and neglecting the safety of Chicago amidst rising violence linked to undocumented immigrants.
“We urge the governor to step outside of his office; he needs to experience firsthand the violent crimes affecting his constituents and our law enforcement officers,” McLaughlin remarked during a Fox News interview.
“Governor Pritzker needs to demonstrate some courage. It’s time to prioritize the safety of Chicagoans. If he fails to act, we will continue to mobilize federal resources to ensure that those living in Chicago and across Illinois can feel secure once again,” she added.
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McLaughlin: “It’s increasingly obvious that violent activists are using vehicles as instruments of aggression against law enforcement. We call on JB Pritzker to visit his own neighborhoods and witness the violence inflicting harm on the people he claims to protect. He has appeared on CNN and MSNBC, attempting to sanitize the reality here.”
“Pritzker’s assertion that we engage in racial profiling is utterly unfounded. We are focusing on criminals—those who have inflicted grave violence on the residents of Chicago. His continuous fabrications, such as claims about arresting children with zip ties, have been thoroughly debunked. The governor must get serious about addressing these issues to safeguard the people of Chicago. If he doesn’t, we will intensify our efforts and increase federal support until the safety of Illinois residents is restored.”
McLaughlin also took to X to condemn Pritzker’s “shameful and disgusting” remarks for exacerbating violence, especially following a day of violent attacks on federal agents. “Step out of your mansion and experience the reality of Chicago,” she said. “If JB Pritzker truly explored his city, he would recognize the domestic threats targeting American law enforcement and acknowledge the pervasive, violent crime exacerbated by his own policies.”
Her statements respond to Pritzker’s claims that federal forces have turned Chicago into a “war zone” during protests against U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). He has suggested that federal agents target people simply based on their ethnicity and have been apprehending individuals indiscriminately.
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Pritzker has consistently accused the Department of Homeland Security of planning an invasion of Chicago’s neighborhoods since he became aware of federal deployments. He has labeled the Trump administration’s efforts to remove undocumented immigrants as “Trump’s Invasion.” In doing so, he paradoxically blames Trump for igniting chaos in Chicago, while also inciting violent protests against federal authority.
As Chicago endures a staggering number of shootings and murders each weekend, the situation is further complicated by reports that federal officers were ambushed during a recent incident characterized as a “coordinated assault” by anti-law enforcement extremists. However, local police have reportedly been instructed to remain passive, ignoring distress signals from their federal counterparts.
