Noem to Pritzker: No
Thursday, Oct 30, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Sun-Times…
Gov. JB Pritzker is asking Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and top ICE officials to suspend immigration enforcement operations throughout Chicago for three days so children can safely celebrate Halloween.
The request, obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times, comes four days after ICE agents fired tear gas in the Old Irving Park neighborhood as families and children walked to a Halloween parade. And it came a day after U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis told Border Patrol commander-in-chief Gregory Bovino on the stand that a “sense of safety was shattered” for children who witnessed the deployment.
“Illinois families deserve to spend Halloween weekend without fear,” Pritzker wrote in the letter sent on Wednesday. “No child should be forced to inhale tear gas or other chemical agents while trick or treating in their own neighborhood.”
Pritzker said he is “respectfully requesting” the pause from Friday to Sunday in and around homes, schools, hospitals, parks, houses of worship and other community gatherings where Halloween celebrations are taking place.
* Response…
* Full transcript…
Question: Governor Pritzker has asked for Operation Midway Blitz to be on pause for the holiday weekend. Are you willing to do that? And if you’re not, why not?
Noem: No, we’re absolutely not willing to put on pause any work that we will do to keep communities safe.
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 we’re bringing criminals to justice and getting them off our streets, especially when we’re going to send all of our kiddos out on the streets and going to events and enjoying the holiday season. We want to make sure that they’re safe. And if you see even up here, we have individuals that we picked up off the streets with our ICE officers and CBP officers that have assault against a child, child pedophiles, rapes. Those individuals don’t deserve to be on our streets, and we’re certainly not going to let our kids be victimized by it.
- John Lopez - Thursday, Oct 30, 25 @ 12:37 pm:
Have to agree with SecDHS on this one.
Like Tom Cruise said in Top Gun 40 years ago, ICE enforcement on Halloween weekend in Chicagolanf is a “target rich environment”.
- Norseman - Thursday, Oct 30, 25 @ 12:45 pm:
=== No, we’re absolutely not willing to put on pause any work we will do to keep communities safe. ===
If the lack of humanity wasn’t so pathetic, I’d say lol to the “keep communities safe” baloney.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Oct 30, 25 @ 12:46 pm:
===“target rich environment”===
Because the targets will be out trick or treating with their kids in residential neighborhoods?
- Steve Polite - Thursday, Oct 30, 25 @ 12:47 pm:
“our ICE officers and CBP officers that have assault against a child” Like zip tying and tear gassing innocent children?
- VK - Thursday, Oct 30, 25 @ 1:04 pm:
===“target rich environment”===
Good lord. Ask me how I instantly have a full read on your character.
- Sjoh - Thursday, Oct 30, 25 @ 1:09 pm:
As I just learned that Noem and Miller have moved to military bases to protect themselves and families. Cowards picking on others.
My concern is because of the requests they increase patrols and arrests this weekend.
- Steve - Thursday, Oct 30, 25 @ 1:10 pm:
Federal immigration law doesn’t pause on Halloween or Casimir Pulaski day.
- Streator Curmudgeon - Thursday, Oct 30, 25 @ 1:11 pm:
Someone who shoots their perfectly healthy dog has a brain that works differently from the rest of us.
- Excitable Boy - Thursday, Oct 30, 25 @ 1:12 pm:
- Federal immigration law doesn’t pause on Halloween or Casimir Pulaski day. -
Somehow we got through all the previous Halloweens without ICE thugs tear gassing children. But you do you.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Oct 30, 25 @ 1:13 pm:
===Federal immigration law doesn’t pause on Halloween or Casimir Pulaski day. ===
Tell me you didn’t read the post without telling me.
- Jocko - Thursday, Oct 30, 25 @ 1:16 pm:
==Have to agree with SecDHS on this one.==
So you accept her premise that 70% of those arrested are public safety/national security threats and the remaining 30% are collateral arrests? I don’t (banned punctuation)
- Steve - Thursday, Oct 30, 25 @ 1:19 pm:
-to suspend immigration enforcement-
I did.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Oct 30, 25 @ 1:23 pm:
Deleting lots of comments today. I have no time for that. Dial it down because permanent bans will ensue from now on for anyone who is deleted.
So, take a breath already.
- Garfield Ridge Guy - Thursday, Oct 30, 25 @ 1:29 pm:
I think it can be both true that the ICE/CBP activity in Chicago is obviously immoral and unconstitutional, and that it was silly to ask for a three-day reprieve. The federal government is not acting in good faith; why even ask? You know they’re going to say no.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Oct 30, 25 @ 1:47 pm:
Saturday and Sunday is “Day of the Dead,” or “Dia de los Muertos” as its known throughout Central America, closely related to Christians’ “All Saint’s Day.” It is one of the most important religious and cultural celebrations in Latin American culture.
I would urge the Trump Administration to reconsider their position and their plans to spread fear and intimidation throughout the city on one of the most important religious celebrations for Latinos, especially Catholic Latinos.
I want them to think carefully about the imagery of ICE agents surrounding, pepperballing, and teargassing people who are essentially participating in a mass funeral celebration, and the ensuing backlash not just from Latinos or Catholics, but people of all faiths.
And I would caution everyone that it is not real hard to see how things could get out of control real quickly if they start showing up at relgious celebrations trying to arrest people. I hope Noem and Bovino are not that stupid, but I have learned not to over-estimate them.
- Not There - Thursday, Oct 30, 25 @ 1:49 pm:
-The federal government is not acting in good faith; why even ask? You know they’re going to say no.-
You ask because it is the right thing to and to put them on record. Never let bad actors off the hook.
- Anon324 - Thursday, Oct 30, 25 @ 1:49 pm:
==The federal government is not acting in good faith; why even ask? You know they’re going to say no.==
Because you want the statement on record that they view parents chaperoning their trick or treating children as a threat, and what they did in Old Irving last weekend wasn’t a mistake of overzealous “enforcement agents.” They were enthusiastically doing exactly what their superiors want them to do.
- hisgirlfriday - Thursday, Oct 30, 25 @ 1:52 pm:
In her same press conference, Noem also turned the gaslight way up to claim no US citizens had been arrested or detained in DHS operations.
Brings to mind the old movie quote — There ain’t nothin’ more powerful than the odor of mendacity.
- here we go again - Thursday, Oct 30, 25 @ 1:54 pm:
Thank you Secretary Noem. Always refreshing for Illinoisans when we see a public official actually taking their job seriously.
- Walker - Thursday, Oct 30, 25 @ 1:56 pm:
For anyone to believe that current ICE activities in Chicagoland have anything to do with “keeping communities safe” simply reflects ignorance of what’s actually happening on our streets.
- I-55 Fanatic - Thursday, Oct 30, 25 @ 2:12 pm:
I’m getting a lot of deja vu here: I live on the North side, and I’ve seen a lot of businesses over the past few days put up signs saying that ICE is not welcome inside, as well as handing out free whistles. And there has been chatter about whether it’s right or wrong to close schools in predominantly Hispanic neighborhoods, and many Hispanic or immigrant students (or students with immigrant family members) are not showing up to school at all.
Replace the “no ICE” signage with social distancing signage and replace the free whistles with free masks, and it’s 2020 all over again.
- low level - Thursday, Oct 30, 25 @ 2:23 pm:
The fact that Noem is rejecting it out of hand is shameful.
“to keep communities safe” - from women selling tamales and kids at recess, right?
- Unreal - Thursday, Oct 30, 25 @ 2:24 pm:
Meanwhile Mayor Brandon Johnson is distributing and printing “No Trespassing” signs to be displayed by area businesses and residents to inform BP, DHS, and ICE not to enter properties to search for aliens. The signs include the mayor’s name and imagery from the City of Chicago flag.
- Bud's Bar Stool - Thursday, Oct 30, 25 @ 2:41 pm:
=== “to keep communities safe” - from women selling tamales and kids at recess, right? ===
Don’t forget landscapers, ride share drivers, day laborers and anybody else who might dare to question the authority of masked, anonymous federal agents storming the city in vehicles with no license plates while tossing tear gas canisters like candy from a parade float.
- Shark Sandwich - Thursday, Oct 30, 25 @ 2:58 pm:
===target rich environment===
That scene ended with a man in the Ladies Room, something some people find very upsetting nowadays.
- Lincoln Lad - Thursday, Oct 30, 25 @ 3:05 pm:
I don’t recognize this country anymore… and all those who support the inhumane treatment of people who came to us for something better. And there is no end in sight. Shameful and very very sad.
- G'Kar - Thursday, Oct 30, 25 @ 3:56 pm:
==we have individuals that we picked up off the streets with our ICE officers and CBP officers that have assault against a child, child pedophiles, rapes.==
Please Sec. Noem, tell us how many have been arrested overall and how many of them have committed a sex crime?