JB Pritzker Fights Back at Trump: Considering Prosecuting Chicago ICE Agents

The resistance is starting on the streets, but it’s hitting the halls of state and federal politicians as well. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker is at the forefront of some of it.

On Sunday, Pritzker suggested that there is a chance state prosecutors may look into the way ICE agents have conducted themselves in Chicago. He told local Fox News affiliate, “These people should recognize that maybe they’re not gonna get prosecuted today, although we’re looking at doing that, but they may get prosecuted after the Trump administration because the statute of limitations would not have run out.”

VIA stlpr.org

Pritzker suggested that the state Attorney General and local state attorneys can examine allegations of misconduct and wrongdoing by DHS. Whether they decide actually to go through with this is a whole other conversation.

Of course, the Department of Homeland Security was not happy with this statement and told Newsweek that what he said is “disgusting”. Given that DHS has repeatedly lied about the way they have conducted themselves this past month, the double standard should be alarming, but it’s not.

JB Pritzker may be one of the leading Democratic nominees for the 2028 presidential nomination, and he has been ramping up his fight against Trump's actions.

The federal agencies that have conducted ICE raids have faced many accusations of racial profiling, with people saying that their aggressive raids/tactics have disproportionately targeted minority and immigrant communities. We see evidence of this in the video that civilians take as well, who witness the unjustified ICE raids.

A federal appeals court has blocked Trump from deploying the National Guard into Illinois, after upholding a lower court’s ruling, which found no evidence of “rebellion” to justify deploying them.

In response, the Trump administration suggested that it might invoke the Insurrection Act of 1807 if the courts continue to restrict its deployment into Democratic majority cities.

Governor JB Pritzker’s bold strategy represents a shift in how Democratic leaders are responding, not just by public condemnation, but by seeking legal accountability for federal agencies involved in blatant misconduct.

As the courts fight back against Trump’s attempts to use federal power to overwhelm states like Illinois, and with the Insurrection Act looming, the second phase of this struggle will test the boundaries of federal power and state opposition.

What is unfolding today is not just a matter of policy difference; it’s a deeper accounting with the rule of law, the democratic tradition, and the government’s responsibility to protect its most vulnerable citizens.