Overview

• Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem visited Springfield, Illinois, to condemn the state’s sanctuary policies, accusing Gov. J.B. Pritzker of endangering public safety by shielding undocumented immigrants from deportation.
• Noem held a press conference near the site of a 2023 murder allegedly committed by an undocumented individual, accompanied by Republican lawmakers and 'angel families' who lost loved ones to crimes involving non-citizens.
• Gov. Pritzker dismissed Noem’s visit as a 'publicity stunt,' defended Illinois’ compliance with federal law under the TRUST Act, and criticized the Trump administration for constitutional violations in its immigration enforcement.
• Pritzker’s office issued a snarky advisory mocking Noem’s past memoir anecdote about shooting a dog, while protests and rallies in Springfield highlighted opposition to her visit.
• Noem’s visit comes as Pritzker, along with governors of New York and Minnesota, prepares to testify before Congress in June regarding their states’ sanctuary policies.