Pritzker's Big Risk
An Illinois State Police trooper yells at protestors outside of the ICE Processing Facility in Broadview last weekend. (Photo: Chicago Tribune)
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OPINION
I could write you a blow-by-blow of the latest news on lawsuits and protestors and ICE raids around Chicago and the suburbs and the reactions from Governor JB Pritzker, Attorney General Kwame Raoul and others. But, frankly, the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, and others have that covered.
This column is about the policy and political risks Pritzker is taking by wading into the biggest fight of his political life with President Trump that, if things go poorly, could lead to a militarized state on the streets of Chicago and the state budget in tatters.
There are very few things as in fashion for Democratic politicians these days to look like they’re “fighting” the Trump administration. It’s essentially why the federal government is shut down right now. As Pritzker tries to raise his national profile, acting as an agitator and foil for Trump has been one of his most obvious tactics.
But where we stand today, with ICE agents roughing up someone’s abuela and the National Guard about to be patrolling the streets of Chicago and certain suburbs, we’re at a real tipping point, and a seminal moment in Pritzker’s governorship and future ambitions.
Certainly Pritzker’s rhetoric has been charged and has been pointed directly at Trump and his administration, and that, of course, has the incredibly petulant President ready to embarrass Pritzker at all costs.
ICE has ramped up its activity in the Chicago area, not because there’s some beehive of illegal immigrants with arrest warrants buzzing under Wacker Drive, it’s because it’s a high profile Democrat that Trump can attempt to bring to his knees.
While ICE has broad authority to operate on the streets, Pritzker has been on the right side of public sentiment, at least here in the suburbs, who seem to believe (no matter the political stripes) that ICE is going way overboard in its tactics and presence, and aggressiveness.
Progressives have been protesting outside of ICE’s facility in suburban Broadview, and Pritzker made a misstep last week by establishing a “unified command” including State Police troopers in riot gear outside of the ICE facility that was promised to “protect first amendment rights and public safety.”
But it wasn’t long before you saw troopers arresting protestors, and giving the Pritzker administration some visuals they surely weren’t excited to see. It even led some reporters to ask if State Police were actually helping ICE.
If you look at Pritzker’s moves through the lens of his very obvious 2028 ambitions, and we should look at everything he says and does through that lens, this isn’t a way to endear yourself to the super progressives he’s been catering to throughout the launch of his proto-campaign for President.
But it could get much, much worse, and not just for Pritzker’s political purposes. ICE is already here and showing no sign of letting up. Now the President has federalized the Illinois National Guard and is shipping in hundreds more guard members from Texas that will (I assume) be in front of federal buildings as soon as possible.
Yesterday, District Judge April Perry declined to grant a temporary restraining order requested by Attorney General Raoul to stop the deployment of guard members to Illinois. It’s possible she grants the request tomorrow. But it’s possible, too, that she doesn’t. Then you’ve got a court victory for the Trump administration and an active military police state brewing on the streets of Chicago.
Not great.
With the vindictiveness coming from the White House as Trump and his henchmen attempt to not only defeat, but embarrass, their political opponents, you have to wonder just how much the fight could be escalated.
Pritzker has already asked his administration to hold back 4% of their budgets, holding for a potential $2 billion budget shortfall. What if the White House starts blocking federal dollars to Illinois? Medicaid matches, transportation funding, Department of Education funds, etc. could all go *poof* in a heartbeat. By the time court fights are resolved, the state’s budget could be shredded to bits.
I don’t know how this situation de-escalates without Trump or Pritzker backing down, but it could have serious negative impacts on Illinois.
Tread carefully, Governor. It would appear you have more to lose in this fight than Trump does.
