There’s no question that Trump’s reckless ICE raids in cities across the U.S.— most recently in Chicago, where more than 3,000 people have been arrested—are meant to create a climate of fear among law-abiding immigrants and citizens living in liberal strongholds. No matter what your stance on immigration might be, I think it’s pretty fair to say that randomly snatching people who are going about their everyday lives sounds like the building plot of a dystopian horror film.
Wednesday morning, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) had to make a heartbreaking plea via a letter to the Department of Homeland Security: to pause immigration raids in Chicago for Halloween weekend long enough to allow children to celebrate the holiday without fear.
The letter was sent to U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Todd M. Lyons, and Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection Rodney S. Scott, per NBC. Specifically, it asks for a pause in ICE operations from Friday, Oct. 31 until Sunday, Nov. 2, “in and around homes, schools, hospitals, parks, houses of worship, and other community gatherings where Halloween celebrations are taking place.”
