As the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump promises sweeping changes to immigration enforcement tactics, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker responded to comments made by Trump’s appointed ‘border czar.”
Tom Homan, who served as acting direction of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Trump’s first administration, spoke in Chicago this week and promised that the city would be “ground zero for the biggest deportation operation this country has ever seen.”
Pritzker was asked about Homan’s remarks, which were directed at his administration and that of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, and while he said that “convicted violent criminals” should not be allowed to stay in the state, he expressed skepticism that Homan can act with as much authority as he promised to during the event.
“I’m open to dialogue with him….(he) does not have the authority to do the things that he’s talked about,” Pritzker said. “Being a border czar is not an official position in the government.”
Pritzker also said he “had an obligation to protect” migrants and asylum-seekers who have come to Chicago, whether on their own or via buses arranged by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s administration, and promised to continue to do so.
Immigration attorneys and activists are expressing their concerns after Homan’s speech, which was given at a Republican event on the northwest side of Chicago. Homan said that Pritzker and Johnson will need to cooperate with the administration or risk consequences.
“If (they) impede us, if (they) conceal an illegal alien, I will prosecute them,” Homan said.
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Fred Tsao, the senior policy counsel at the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, emphasized the need for undocumented families to make sure they know their legal rights as the Trump administration takes up residence in the Oval Office, and to coordinate on emergency plans in case of immigration enforcement actions.
“Who’s going to take care of the children, who's going to watch over the property, who's going to pay the bills,” he said. “Know, ‘how do we address medical issues that may come up?’ All of these things need to be thought through and planned out."
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Attorneys are also asking those living legally in the United States to help others to get information they need in the coming weeks and months.
“Guiding people to nonprofit organizations that are already helping communities, to trusted immigration attorneys that can provide them with information and guidance,” attorney Marlen Romero Garcia said.
Under Chicago’s Sanctuary City policy, authorities are not permitted to ask individuals about their immigration status or to disclose the information to authorities. City services also cannot be denied to individuals based on immigration status.
Chicago police are also not permitted to work with ICE to deport undocumented individuals under the policy.
Pritzker has signed a series of bills aiming to achieve similar goals, including the Keep Illinois Families Together Act, which prevents police departments from entering into agreements with ICE to carry out deportation operations. He also signed bills to prevent state agencies from entering into contracts to build or operate private detention centers for immigration enforcement actions, among other legislation.
