Illinois Governor Pritzker Urges Trump Officials to Halt Immigration Raids for Halloween
The governor of Illinois has sent a stern letter to the Trump administration, urging officials at ICE and CBP to suspend immigration crackdowns in his state from Friday to Sunday. The request comes ahead of Halloween weekend, as Pritzker wants children to "spend their weekend without fear".
In the letter, which was obtained by several news outlets, Governor Pritzker expressed concerns that federal agents are "ignoring their duty to protect the public and uphold the constitution" by conducting raids in line with President Trump's mass deportation agenda. The governor pointed out that such actions have "endangered the lives of innocent community members and traumatized children".
The latest incident in question occurred last weekend, when border patrol agents reportedly used tear gas to disrupt a Halloween parade in north-west Chicago. The governor has accused Trump officials of violating their own administration's statements and directives by using such tactics.
Governor Pritzker emphasized that Illinois families should be able to "spend Halloween weekend without fear". He also expressed concerns about the impact on children, saying that no child should be forced to inhale tear gas or other chemical agents while trick-or-treating in their own neighborhood.
However, officials at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have pushed back against the governor's claims. Tricia McLaughlin, an assistant secretary at DHS, described Pritzker's allegations as a "false narrative" that is pushing lies about law enforcement officers targeting schools, hospitals, and churches. She added that agents are only using crowd control methods as a last resort when faced with violence and mass assaults.
The latest developments come amidst reports of federal agents carrying out more arrests in Chicago than ICE over the past two months. The government has also struggled to meet its immigration targets, with ICE averaging just 1,178 daily arrests as of late September – short of the 3,000 people per day that was initially set by Stephen Miller, President Trump's deputy chief of staff.
The governor of Illinois has sent a stern letter to the Trump administration, urging officials at ICE and CBP to suspend immigration crackdowns in his state from Friday to Sunday. The request comes ahead of Halloween weekend, as Pritzker wants children to "spend their weekend without fear".
In the letter, which was obtained by several news outlets, Governor Pritzker expressed concerns that federal agents are "ignoring their duty to protect the public and uphold the constitution" by conducting raids in line with President Trump's mass deportation agenda. The governor pointed out that such actions have "endangered the lives of innocent community members and traumatized children".
The latest incident in question occurred last weekend, when border patrol agents reportedly used tear gas to disrupt a Halloween parade in north-west Chicago. The governor has accused Trump officials of violating their own administration's statements and directives by using such tactics.
Governor Pritzker emphasized that Illinois families should be able to "spend Halloween weekend without fear". He also expressed concerns about the impact on children, saying that no child should be forced to inhale tear gas or other chemical agents while trick-or-treating in their own neighborhood.
However, officials at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have pushed back against the governor's claims. Tricia McLaughlin, an assistant secretary at DHS, described Pritzker's allegations as a "false narrative" that is pushing lies about law enforcement officers targeting schools, hospitals, and churches. She added that agents are only using crowd control methods as a last resort when faced with violence and mass assaults.
The latest developments come amidst reports of federal agents carrying out more arrests in Chicago than ICE over the past two months. The government has also struggled to meet its immigration targets, with ICE averaging just 1,178 daily arrests as of late September – short of the 3,000 people per day that was initially set by Stephen Miller, President Trump's deputy chief of staff.
I think it's super reasonable for Governor Pritzker to ask the Trump officials to chill out on those immigration raids, especially over Halloween weekend 
. I mean, kids should be able to trick-or-treat without worrying about getting caught up in some kind of law enforcement drama, right? It's like, what's the point of all these raids anyway? Just seems like a way for the government to create more stress and anxiety for people who are already dealing with so much. And yeah, I can see why Governor Pritzker would want to speak out about this - it's just not right that law enforcement is using tear gas on innocent kids... 
. I mean, can you imagine being a kid trying to get some candy while your parents are being detained by border patrol? That's some serious trauma right there 
. And yeah, the Trump officials need to chill out and focus on doing their jobs properly instead of just trying to scare people. The whole tear gas thing is just sick 
. I don't think it's too much to ask for a peaceful Halloween weekend in Chicago without the sound of sirens and handcuffs. It's not like they're taking over the city or anything... oh wait, that's kinda what it feels like 
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. I mean, come on! The gov is right, we gotta protect our communities and not be so harsh 
. What if they get it wrong and hurt someone?! We need more chill approaches, not this toxic stuff 
. And btw, why are ICE and CBP doin all these raids in the first place?! Is it really about deporting people or is it just some other agenda hiding behind the law 
? Like, can't they see it's Halloween already? Kids are supposed to be having fun not getting caught up in some immigration drama 
... like, who gets hurt by tear gas on Halloween? 
, this is so messed up! Like, can't they see that kids are already scared enough with Halloween? And now you're gonna have federal agents in the streets using tear gas and stuff? That's just cruel 
. I get it, governors gotta protect their states, but Trump officials need to chill too, you know? This is not a war zone 
. they're saying law enforcement are using crowd control but really it's just an excuse to be all scary and authoritarian. who needs tear gas on a kid's birthday parade btw? 2nd amendment doesn't apply to kids with candy in their trick-or-treat bags 
. Illinois Governor Pritzker is right on point here - our communities shouldn't be living in fear of federal agents. I mean, what's next? Agents showing up at trick-or-treat parties? No way! 
. The governor is right - let's keep our state safe for Halloween weekend!
. and don't even get me started on the trauma, ugh... [link to article about trauma in children](https://www.google.com/url?q=
. I mean, can you imagine if a cop came to your house and started looking through your stuff while your kids are trying to have some fun? It's just not right 
. I'm all for keeping our communities safe, but we gotta find ways to do it without scaring the living daylights outta people 
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. and yeah DHS is playing dumb again, like "it's crowd control methods" lol no dude, it's a mass deportation agenda disguised as law enforcement 
it's just so unnecessary and cruel. the fact that they're pushing back against the gov saying it's all lies is just infuriating 
and honestly, i think we should be supporting our governors in standing up for what's right instead of letting trump officials get away with this behavior... 
The idea that agents are using tear gas on kids trick-or-treating is just heartbreaking 
. Our governor is right, no child should have to live in fear of getting hurt while having fun with their friends! 
And can we talk about the fact that ICE has been struggling to meet its own targets? 
. I mean, what kind of message are they trying to send to kids who just want to trick-or-treat in peace? It's already a scary time for so many families, especially those with undocumented parents or loved ones. The governor is right, these agents should be focusing on protecting the public instead of enforcing such harsh policies 
. We need more empathy and understanding from our leaders, not less 
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! It's crazy that these immigration raids are happening on Halloween weekend, it's just not right 
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. it's not like they're doing anything wrong, just living in the states 
