By Mary Rooke, Daily Caller News Foundation | October 09, 2025
While Democrat Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson claim Chicago residents do not want Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in their city, the people are singing a different tune.
Pritzker has publicly opposed ICE operations in Chicago, describing them as an “unconstitutional invasion” and urging federal agents to leave the city.
“Get out of Chicago,” Pritzker said Sept. 29. “You are not helping us.”
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin denounced Pritzker’s attacks and demands for agents to leave Chicago, arguing that “the scourge of violent crime [is] a direct result of his own policies.”
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“Our message to JB Pritzker: Get out of your mansion and see Chicago,” said McLaughlin in a statement. “If J.B. Pritzker actually walked the streets of his own city, he would see domestic terrorists and violent rioters attacking police officers and the scourge of violent crime as a direct result of his own policies.”
Similarly, Johnson has repeatedly stated that ICE agents are not welcome in Chicago, describing them as a “rogue, reckless group of heavily armed, masked individuals roaming throughout our city that are not accountable to the people of Chicago.” He argues their presence endangers residents and erodes trust. Johnson signed an executive order creating “ICE-free zones” on city property to prevent federal law enforcement from using city-owned buildings.
Still, despite top Democrats in Illinois claiming that Chicago residents do not want ICE agents in their city, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commander Greg Bovino shared a video Wednesday highlighting just how much the locals love having agents patrolling their city.
Bovino is shown traveling around the city, popping in and out of local convenience stores as Chicago residents greet him with a smile and thank him for being there.
And as Chicago’s Democratic leadership strongly opposes the deployment of federal agents and National Guard troops for immigration enforcement, residents in high-crime areas have publicly called for President Donald Trump to address crime and illegal immigration.
The city is reportedly expected to spend $40 million on housing, healthcare, and education for illegal immigrants, fueling perceptions that local needs are being overlooked.
“The taxpayers are paying and funding this illegal migrant crisis,” South-Side resident Danielle Carter told Fox News Digital. “So, therefore, it’s not fair to us because they are taking our resources. They are spending our tax dollars on people who crossed the border illegally. I think everybody who came over here illegally should get deported and come back legally.”
It is yet another example of Democrats siding with violence and crime, while neglecting their constituents. It seems they are more worried about attacking every move that Trump makes than ensuring the safety and well-being of their residents.
Mary Rooke is a commentary and analysis writer at the Daily Caller News Foundation
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