DHS Secretary Noem rejects Gov. Pritzker's calls for pause in immigration operations over Halloween
Illinois lawmakers pushing ahead with legislation to curb illegal ICE activity; Border Patrol chief sits in hours-long deposition
GARY, Ind. (WLS) -- Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem visited northwest Indiana Thursday.
The visit came as Illinois Governor JB Pritzker is calling on the DHS director to agree a Halloween truce on ICE activity for the sake of the families and children looking to celebrate this weekend, and Illinois state lawmakers are also looking to impose restrictions on ICE activities in places like hospitals and courthouses.
Noem made it clear she has no plans of halting Operation Midway Blitz during Halloween. Meanwhile, Little Village community organizers have mobilized nearly 200 volunteers to ensure all children in this neighborhood enjoy this holiday.
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Governor Pritzker and advocates for immigrants are frustrated by the continuing ICE activity that they say goes far beyond the stated mission of Operation Midway Blitz to go after the "worst of the worst." But the Trump administration is brushing off any calls for a holiday pause.
On Wednesday night, Pritzker sent a letter to Noem, requesting a pause in ICE enforcement this weekend in and around homes, schools, hospitals, parks and places of worship, so children can safely celebrate Halloween.
The governor referenced an incident in his letter that happened this past weekend in Old Irving Park, in which he says federal agents reportedly interrupted a children's Halloween parade and deployed tear gas without warning on residents peacefully celebrating the holiday.
"Illinois families deserve to spend Halloween weekend without fear. No child should be forced to inhale tear gas or other chemical agents while trick or treating in their own neighborhood," Governor Pritzker wrote. "Illinois children should not be robbed of their innocence. Let them enjoy a time-honored American tradition safely and peacefully. Please let children be children for one holiday, free from intimidation and fear."
With Operation Midway Blitz in full force, the President of the Little Village Community Council, Baltazar Enriquez, says family there, both undocumented and U.S. Citizens, have chosen to stay hidden.
"We've seen families tell us, 'no Baltazar, I don't want to put my kid at risk,'" Enriquez said. "A lot of the families have not been out of their homes because of fear. We're going to try to let the children have a day where they can enjoy, let the families take their children."
His organization gathering around 170 volunteers to stand watch and help bring families back out into the community on Halloween. They are volunteers trained to know how to respond should federal agents show up.
"It's really hard that my people don't get to enjoy their community right now," volunteer Lissette Barrera said.
Barrera, emotionally gripped by what's happened to her neighborhood, is one of the dozens who signed up to ensure children and their families can enjoy, what she says, should be an enjoyable day.
"Children are only supposed to know how to play and be happy and have their own little minds and create their own stories, but right now they're just in fear," Barrera said.
Enriquez said while he admired the governor's efforts Thursday, even if DHS agreed to the terms, his organization does not trust the Trump administration.
Governor Pritzker on Thursday decried the operation that did not even consider the families in the area.
"This year the parade was interrupted and then canceled, not because of rain, but because of tear gas," Pritzker said.
DHS posted a response Thursday afternoon on social media regarding last weekend's incident in Old Irving Park, which included body-worn camera video.
Meanwhile, Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino sat down for an hours-long deposition Thursday at the Dirksen Federal Building downtown.
The meeting was linked to a lawsuit that challenges immigration enforcement tactics used by his agents in Chicago. It came a day after an appeals court halted a judge's order requiring Bovino to provide daily court briefings on his agents.
The Trump administration had argued that forcing Bovino's daily presence would disrupt and harm the government
Speaking in Gary, Indiana, Noem rejected Governor Pritzker's request.
"We're absolutely not willing to put on pause any work that we will do to keep communities safe," Noem said. "The fact that Governor Pritzker is asking for that is shameful, and I think unfortunate that he doesn't recognize how important the work is that we do to make sure that we are bringing criminals to justice and bringing them off our streets."
Secretary Noem accused the governor of failing to recognize the importance of their work in getting dangerous criminals off the street, something she said they will continue to do to protect children.
"So don't believe it when they tell you that they're busting the worst of the worst gangs, gang members, they're attacking peaceful neighborhoods and terrorizing kids in Halloween parades," Pritzker said.
In response to Governor Pritzker, Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin: said in a statement, "Once again Governor Pritzker is going out of his way to smear the law enforcement officers of DHS, who are attempting to clean up the rampant crime he facilitated.
"He is pushing a false narrative that DHS is targeting schools, hospitals, and churches. This is false, he knows this, but he continues to push these lies.
"Our officers are facing mass assaults, vehicles used as weapons, violence and only use crowd control methods as a last resort when repeated warnings have been given.
"Those who are here legally and are not breaking other laws have nothing to fear. Elected officials choosing to fearmonger by distorting reality are doing a great disservice to our country and are responsible for the nearly 1,000% increase in assaults and 8,000% increase in violent threats against ICE officers."
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In Gary, Noem spoke about immigrants in the United States illegally getting commercial driver's licenses.
"Putting these foreigners in tractor trailers like the ones you see behind me becomes extremely dangerous," Noem said. "Putting them behind the wheel of these tractor trailers weighing tens of thousands of pounds loaded with explosive fuel down the highway endangers every single citizens that is on our roads."
Noem gave update on recent immigration enforcement dubbed "Operation Midway Blitz," which Border Patrol Cmdr. Greg Bovino called "wildly successful" in an interview with ABC News earlier this week.
Noem was joined by Indiana Gov. Mike Braun in Gary along with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Todd Lyons, among others.
Flanked by posters of what Noem calls the "worst of worst", she commended the state of Indiana for helping the Trump administration with ICE enforcement.
"Illegal aliens have been taken off of these roads because of this work that was done under Midway Blitz with the partnership of Governor Braun and his team," Noem said.
Noem blamed Illinois and other sanctuary states for giving undocumented immigrants Commercial Drivers Licenses, known as CDLs. She says there has been a trend of accidents involving the undocumented.
"We especially don't want them behind the wheel of an 18 wheeler when they can't speak our language, they don't understand our laws, they can't follow our roadway signs," Noem said.
But, according to the Illinois Secretary of State's office, undocumented residents are not allowed to receive CDLs in Illinois.
Noem says, so far, 3,000 people have been arrested through Operation Midway Blitz. While some U.S. citizens says they have been among them. Noem denies it.
"There's no American citizens have been arrested or detained," Noem said. "We focus on those that are here illegally, and anything that you would hear or report that would be different than that is simply not true."
As ICE enforcement continues through Halloween, Sec. Noem says Operation Midway Blitz will continue until all undocumented people in the Midwest are removed from the country.
SEE ALSO | Court pauses order requiring CBP Chief Bovino to meet with judge daily on immigration operations
Noem's visit was met with some criticism from other local northwest Indiana leaders.
Gary's Mayor Eddie Melton said his office was not involved with planning the event and is not participating.
Hammond's Mayor Thomas McDermott also posted on Facebook, criticizing how the press conference was announced.
Some protesters gathered in Gary to demonstrate against Noem's presence.
Also Thursday, lawmakers pushed ahead with legislation to curb illegal ICE activity.
"The piece that I've introduced initially creates a private right of action for anyone who has been harmed, anyone whose constitutional rights have been violated by people conducting immigration actions, will be able to go to court and seek a remedy," Illinois State Senate President Don Harmon said.
The bill would also create safe spaces from ICE in courthouses, along with daycare centers and universities, as well as hospitals. The measure gained urgency after the viral video of Chicago Alderperson Jessie Fuentes being arrested in a hospital confronting ICE over agents' authority to arrest someone seeking treatment.
"This bill is a statement on behalf of the legislature to say that what ICE is doing is unacceptable," said State Sen. Celina Villanueva, who represents part of Chicago's Southwest Side.
There was some urgency to get the measure passed before the end of the night Thursday, because it is the final day of the veto session.
