Overview

• Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has directed state agencies to investigate investments and contracts tied to El Salvador, potentially leading to economic sanctions.
• This move responds to El Salvador President Nayib Bukele’s support for Trump’s refusal to comply with a Supreme Court order to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia to the U.S.
• Pritzker’s order includes reviews by state pension funds, procurement agencies, and trade offices to identify financial ties with El Salvador.
• The Trump administration has claimed Garcia is linked to MS-13, but this allegation lacks substantial evidence and has been denied by Garcia and his family.
• The standoff highlights tensions between executive defiance of judicial authority, immigration rights, and subnational governments’ role in foreign policy.