Pritzker says threats against him have spiked since Charlie Kirk shooting
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker says he’s faced a surge in threats following last week’s deadly shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Utah. Speaking at a roundtable in Chicago, Pritzker accused Donald Trump of fueling political violence while Republicans pushed back, pointing to his own past rhetoric. The governor also raised concerns about immigration enforcement, citing fear in communities and a recent deadly ICE shooting in Franklin Park.
CHICAGO – Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Monday that threats to his office have increased since the shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, with numbers spiking after last week’s deadly shooting in Utah.
The governor said the rise reflects a broader trend of political violence that has grown for years.
What we know:
Speaking after a roundtable at City Colleges of Chicago, Pritzker criticized President Donald Trump for not directly condemning political violence.
The governor also addressed Trump’s immigration policies, saying mass deportation efforts and threats to deploy the National Guard have created widespread fear.
“People are frightened about the potential of military troops coming to our neighborhoods. People are fearful of masked men in unmarked vans who could grab them on a street corner because of how they look or how they sound,” said Pritzker.
Although Trump has backed off his threat to send troops into Chicago, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has expanded enforcement in the area.
The governor criticized federal immigration authorities for a lack of transparency following the fatal shooting of Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez, 39, by ICE agents in suburban Franklin Park.
Federal officials said agents targeted Villegas-Gonzalez because of a history of reckless driving.
During a traffic stop Friday, authorities said he refused commands, struck one agent with his vehicle, and was then shot by another agent “fearing for his life.”
Pritzker said the public deserves more information.
“If this were the Chicago Police Department, if this were the sheriff’s office in Cook County, if this were Illinois State Police, you would have had a lot more information already released. But apparently, ICE is unwilling to provide the transparency that I think the American public and the public here deserves,” Pritzker said.
Pritzker Honors Jim Edgar:
Pritzker also paid tribute to former Gov. Jim Edgar, who died over the weekend at age 79 following a battle with pancreatic cancer.
The governor praised the two-term Republican for his bipartisan leadership and ordered Illinois flags flown at half-staff until Edgar’s funeral.
RELATED: Girlfriend, stepdaughter of suspect killed by ICE officer in Chicago area speak out
The Source: The information in this article was reported by FOX 32’s Paris Schutz.
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