Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) faced pushback this week after telling Fox News that his state would cooperate with federal immigration authorities if they presented judicial warrants. The father of a young woman killed by an illegal alien quickly called out the governor’s remarks as misleading.
During an interview with Bret Baier on Fox News, Pritzker was asked whether he believed any illegal immigrant charged with or convicted of a felony should be deported. Pritzker responded, “I think they ought to take the violent criminals and get them out of my state and get them out of the country. I absolutely believe that, but that’s not what they’re doing. They say they were going after the worst…”
Baier then pressed Pritzker, noting that Illinois is a sanctuary state and asking if the governor would not help federal officers. Pritzker replied, “No, we do. If you bring us a judicial warrant, we will bring you all kinds of help on the ground to go get the bad guys. That’s what we want. We want the bad guys off the streets. What we don’t want is for people to get racially profiled. That’s what’s happening right now.”
Joe Abraham, whose daughter Katie died in a crash caused by an illegal alien, responded directly to the governor’s claim. Abraham said, “‘Bring us a judicial warrant and we’ll remove criminals.’ That’s dishonesty by omission. A judicial warrant is not required for civil immigration enforcement.”
Abraham also highlighted that Illinois law itself distinguishes civil immigration warrants from judicial warrants, arguing that leaving that distinction out is not harmless wordplay. “Illinoisans like Katie can pay the price for policies defended with misleading words,” he added.
Federal law, specifically 8 USC 1357, grants ICE agents and other federal officers warrantless arrest powers in certain situations. These powers include interrogating known or suspected illegal aliens and arresting them without a warrant when statutory requirements are met. Federal agents can also search boats or vehicles if they suspect illegal aliens are inside. The law further encourages officers to arrest illegal aliens if there is suspicion that they might escape before a judicial warrant could be obtained.
Critics of Pritzker note that he signed legislation last year that restricts arrests of illegal aliens in numerous locations, despite having no authority to do so under federal law. They argue that such sanctuary policies protect foreign criminals while ignoring the victims of crimes committed by illegal aliens.
Pritzker has not shown interest in meeting with Joe Abraham or highlighting Katie’s story, according to the report. Her death, the governor’s critics say, is merely an inconvenience to his open-borders agenda. Pritzker has expressed concern about violent criminals being deported but has not addressed the impact on victims like Katie Abraham.
Abraham, who has been vocal about his daughter’s case for 19 months, recently shared his reflections on a Substack post, noting that “nothing has changed here in Illinois” and decrying the “indifference” he has seen from state leaders.
The exchange highlights the ongoing tension between sanctuary jurisdictions and federal immigration enforcement, particularly in cases involving serious crimes. Illinois remains a sanctuary state, a status that critics say contradicts federal law and undermines public safety.
Source: pjmedia.com — https://pjmedia.com/catherinesalgado/2026/09/05/pritzker-says-ice-needs-judicial-warrant-angel-dad-debunks-him-n4956936
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