Pritzker reacts to Trump administration's possible immigration crackdown in Chicago: "It's un-American"
The Trump administration is ramping up for an immigration crackdown in Chicago, with a naval base possibly serving as a command center for the entire operation.
President Donald Trump has vowed to send in federal help to Chicago, just as he's done in Washington, D.C.
Despite violent crime being down year over year, the president and his administration continue to falsely claim that Chicago has a crime and violent immigrant problem.
In the spring, the Department of Justice slashed nearly $160 million in grants meant for violence prevention, $16 million was earmarked for Chicago.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said that the move was about the 2026 elections.
"He's defunding our efforts to fight crime so he can send troops into the city of Chicago for one reason, and I want everyone to pay attention. It's about the elections in 2026 and about interrupting our ability to have a fair and free election in 2026," he said.
"I had one person say it took years to build this, but it could take months to tear it down," Rita Oceguera said.
Oceguera spoke with local violence prevention groups facing the reality of these budget cuts. She's a reporter for The Trace—a newsroom focused on gun violence.
"In speaking to violence prevention leaders and organizers, what they were saying is that if President Donald Trump was serious about reducing gun violence and helping Chicago, then he would reinstate the funding that was recently cut," she said.
The New York Times reviewed a request from the department. The report says the Trump administration plans to ramp up immigration enforcement in Chicago—calling for a 30-day operation at the naval base, featuring 250 people, parking for 140 vehicles, storage space for medical supplies, bathrooms, and laundry, and rubber bullets and tear gas.
"I don't know why they would need rubber bullets and tear gas, Gov. JB Pritzker said. "They want to inflame something, that's what they want
"I mean all these sanctuary cities that refuse to work with ICE, where we know public safety threats are being released every day into this country," White House Border Czar Tom Homan said.
Pritzker said his office has not heard directly from the White House about increased immigration enforcement.
"We now have a federal government, a president hunting them down and disappearing them off the streets," he said.
The upcoming ICE activity could begin as soon as next week in Chicago, according to internal documents obtained by the New York Times.
ICE carried out similar operations earlier this year. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has repeated his threats to send federal troops into Chicago to combat crime, despite violent crime dropping in the city.
"It's un-American if you ask me," Pritzker said. "Invading a city with troops, a U.S. president invading an American city," he said.
The Naval Station Great Lakes, located just outside of Chicago, is normally used for training recruits.
A spokesman for the base said that, while they received a request to assist Homeland Security with logistical needs, they have not been asked to support the National Guard.