Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem on Friday held a press conference in Chicago, where she touted the Trump administration's immigration raids and criticized sanctuary cities and the state's governor.
Noem, while in the suburb of Lombard, ripped Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, accusing them of having "worked so hard to protect these dangerous criminals" apprehended by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
"They'd rather be a sanctuary state and continue to put those individuals above American citizens," she said.
Local legislators hit back at Noem, with Rep. Jesús 'Chuy' García, D-Ill., claiming in a statement that "The vast majority of people ICE has detained have no criminal record."
He added, "ICE has been detaining and deporting hundreds of thousands of working people, mothers with children, student activists, tourists with visas and even U.S. citizens, all to meet the absurd quotas Trump has established, and fulfill the racist immigration policy Stephen Miller is directing."
Noem on Friday dismissed these claims that the agency has mostly arrested nonviolent immigrants who have never been convicted of a crime, saying that the agency only targets "dangerous criminal illegal aliens."
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.