Noem vs. Pritzker: Battle Over Illegal Immigration in Chicago

The Department of Homeland Security will “surge more resources” to Chicago to crack down on illegal immigration, Secretary Kristi Noem said after Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker called a top immigration official a “snowflake.”  

“Gov. Pritzker’s personal attacks against President [Donald] Trump puts his people in jeopardy each and every day,” Noem said on “Fox and Friends” Wednesday morning. “I’m just so thrilled with the results that we’ve had in Chicago, and we’re going to surge more resources there. We’re not going to just be in Chicago, we’re spreading out to other cities and continuing to do our work.”  

Noem’s remarks come one day after Pritzker made public comments on reports that Customs and Border Protection is pulling out of Chicago. Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino and his team are leaving Chicago on Wednesday and are headed to Charlotte, North Carolina, for a short time before going on to carry out operations in New Orleans, according to News Nation’s Ali Bradley.  

Pritzker, a Democrat, has not made a secret of his opposition to the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement operations.  

“All I can say is that, you know, whether it was the loss in the elections a week ago that’s led to Donald Trump deciding to pull CBP out, or the fact that Greg Bovino is a snowflake on a day when you can see some snowflakes, whatever it is, the people of Chicago have deserved better than having CBP and Greg Bovino in this city,” Pritzker told press on Tuesday.  

“But I would not say that we’re not going to be free of these terrorized neighborhoods,” Pritzker continued, “because [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] and CBP probably will still be here, though they will have fewer people, and we’ll have to continue to protect our neighbors, and our friends, and our families. I will work very hard to continue to do that, to keep people safe.”  

In September, the Department of Homeland Security launched Operation Midway Blitz in Chicago with the aim of arresting criminal illegal aliens who moved to Illinois, which is a “sanctuary state,” meaning local and state law enforcement do not formally cooperate with federal immigration officials.  

Since launching the operation in the Windy City, DHS claims homicides are down 16%, shootings have fallen by 35%, robberies by 41%, carjackings by 48%, and transit crimes by 20%.  

“For decades, sanctuary policies exacerbated the crime crisis in Chicago. Now thanks to our brave DHS law enforcement, Chicago is experiencing a historic drop in violent crime,” Tricia McLaughlin, DHS assistant secretary, said in a statement Wednesday morning.  

“It’s common sense,” McLaughlin added, “when you remove the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens from our country—crime rates plummet.” 

The post Noem vs. Pritzker: Battle Over Illegal Immigration in Chicago appeared first on The Daily Signal.