Illinois Governor JB Pritzker appealed to Trump administration officials overseeing federal immigration operations in Chicago on Thursday, asking them to “pause” their activities to allow children and families to celebrate Halloween.
Pritzker, who has been consistently pushing back against the administration’s federal presence in Illinois, told reporters that he has asked Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and the Department of Homeland Security to “pause all of their federal agents’ operations for the entirety of the Halloween weekend.”
“The Department of Homeland Security claims their highest priority is to protect children, so today I have to ask them, please live up to those ideals,” Pritzker said in a press conference.
“Your operation has sown fear and division and chaos among law-abiding residents in our communities. If you are unwilling to cease operations and leave our city, can we at least agree that our children should not be victims, especially on Halloween?” Pritzker asked.
Speaking directly to Gregory Bovino, the chief Border Patrol and Customs agent overseeing operations in Chicago, Pritzker said there is no “imminent threat” that should “disrupt” the holiday for trick-or-treaters – citing recent incidents in which children were present while agents dispensed teargas.
The Independent has asked the Department of Homeland Security for comment
This is a developing story, more follows
