The Democratic governor of Illinois, J.B. Pritzker, says he agrees with one part of border czar appointee Tom Homan’s historic mass deportation campaign under the incoming Trump administration.
Pritzker was responding to comments made by Homan at the Northwest Side GOP gathering that happened Monday evening, according to FOX 32 Chicago, where he threatened to deport millions of undocumented immigrants. The move would impact tens of thousands of undocumented immigrants in Chicago and Illinois.
“Violent criminals who are undocumented and convicted of violent crime should be deported,” Pritzker said at an unrelated news conference, the local station reported. “I do not want them in my state, I don’t think they should be in the United States.”
Homan has said no one is off the table when it comes to deportations, although public safety threats will be the priority. He directly mentioned Pritzker and Mayor Brandon Johnson in his remarks.
A group of migrants receives food outside the migrant landing zone during a winter storm on January 12, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
“If your Chicago mayor doesn’t want to help, he can step aside,” Homan said. “But if he impedes us, if he knowingly harbors an illegal alien, I will prosecute him.”
Pritzker has said he would welcome a meeting with Homan or the incoming Trump administration, according to FOX 32, but no one has reached out to him.
Gov. JB Pritzker of Illinois is interviewed by Fox News Digital at the Democratic National Convention, on Aug. 22, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Paul Steinhauser)
Illinois republicans not only urge Pritzker to work with Homan, but say the state should repeal sanctuary laws that generally limit law enforcement’s cooperation with ICE.
Currently, 1.4 million noncitizens have deportation orders but are not currently in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention, according to new figures obtained by Fox News.
Migrants, many from Haiti, are seen at an encampment along the Del Rio International Bridge, Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021, in Del Rio, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
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The top countries of nationals on the list include Mexico (252,044), Guatemala (253,413), Honduras (261,651) and El Salvador (203,822).
Other countries include China, which has 37,908 nationals on the docket with final orders of removal, Haiti (32,363), Iran (2,618), Pakistan (7,76), Uzbekistan, (975) and Venezuela (22,749).
Fox News’ Adam Shaw and Bill Melugin contributed to this report.