Gov. Pritzker Appoints Two New Commission Members and Adds Key Staff Leadership to the Illinois Accountability Commission
November 20, 2025
CHICAGO – Today, Governor Pritzker appointed Jimmy L. Arce and Ric Estrada to serve as the newest commissioners on the Illinois Accountability Commission (IAC), established in response to the lack of any federal accountability for federal enforcement actions marked by excessive force and reports of violent conduct by federal agents across Chicagoland and throughout Illinois. Additionally, the Commission filled key leadership roles, including Executive Director Hina Mahmood, Lead Commission Counsel Ahmed Baset, and Special Counsel Matthew J. Piers.
The appointments of Arce and Estrada bring critical expertise in federal investigations and community and civic leadership, respectively, strengthening the Commission’s ability to carry out its mandate by compiling and documenting a formal, public record to pursue justice and accountability and shed more light on the misconduct of the Trump Administration's federal agents.
“Since I signed the Executive Order, with guidance from the Commissioners, the Illinois Department of Human Rights has been diligently working to set the foundation for this truly ground-breaking work to bring accountability for the Trump Administration’s immigration enforcement actions,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “The appointments of Jimmy and Ric to the Commission round out this incredible team of public servants committed to demanding answers and the ongoing pursuit of justice for the people of Illinois.”
“We are honored to welcome two individuals whose expertise directly supports the Commission’s mission,” said Ruben Castillo, Chair of the Illinois Accountability Commission. “Jimmy and Ric bring complementary perspectives that will strengthen our ability to document, assess, and recommend reforms in alignment with the Executive Order.”
“I’m honored to serve on the Illinois Accountability Commission,” said Jimmy L. Arce, Commissioner. “This work is about standing up for communities and making sure their experiences are heard. I’m eager to help document the facts and push for meaningful reforms that protect people across Illinois.”
“Illinoisans have been harmed by federal law enforcement actions, and they deserve accountability,” said Ric Estrada, Commissioner. “I’m committed to making sure the Commission listens to communities across the state and turns their experiences into real, meaningful change.”
Additionally, the Commission has hired Executive Director Hina Mahmood, Lead Commission Counsel Ahmed Baset, and Special Counsel Matthew J. Piers, and developed an organizational structure for onboarding more support staff in the coming weeks. Commission members and staff have started outreach efforts, continue exploring community partnerships and collaborations, and are conducting a landscape analysis of information already in the public domain to examine the roles and impact of related and ongoing litigation.
The Illinois Accountability Commission commissioners and staff are working to ensure that federal law enforcement actions are thoroughly documented, impacted communities are heard, and reforms are recommended to protect the people of Illinois.
Biographies
The new Illinois Accountability Commission members are:
- Jimmy L. Arce: Jimmy L. Arce is a former federal prosecutor with extensive experience leading complex criminal and civil investigations in the Northern District of Illinois. He played a key role in the Department of Justice’s civil rights investigation of the Chicago Police Department, which led to a landmark consent decree. In private practice, Arce represents clients in commercial litigation and white-collar matters, bringing expertise in federal investigations, enforcement, and institutional oversight.
- Ric Estrada: Ric Estrada is CEO of Metropolitan Family Services, one of Illinois’s largest human-services organizations. With more than three decades in public service and nonprofit leadership — including senior roles in the City of Chicago — Estrada brings a community-centered perspective and a strong track record of guiding organizations that serve families and neighborhoods directly affected by federal actions.
More information about the previously announced commissioners, including Chair Rubén Castillo and Co-Chair Patricia Brown Holmes, can be found here.
The new Illinois Accountability Commission staff leadership are:
- Hina Mahmood: Hina Mahmood is the Executive Director of the Illinois Accountability Commission. She is a seasoned social justice leader with nearly two decades of experience across government, philanthropy, and the nonprofit sector. Before joining the Commission, Hina served as Director of Illinois Initiatives at the J.B. & M.K. Pritzker Family Foundation, where she led strategic efforts to advance justice and equity in early childhood, community health, and civil and human rights across Illinois. Hina previously served as an Assistant State’s Attorney at the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office (CCSAO) and Deputy Chief of Staff at the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS).
- Ahmed Baset: Ahmed Baset is the Lead Commission Counsel for the Illinois Accountability Commission. He is a former federal prosecutor, who served as the Acting Deputy Director of Criminal Litigation in the US Department of Justice Antitrust Division. Prior to that, he spent nearly a decade in the United States Attorneys' Offices as an Assistant United States Attorney and Assistant Special Counsel.
- Matthew J. Piers: Matthew Piers is Special Counsel for the Illinois Accountability Commission. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and previously served twenty years as President and Senior Counsel of Hughes Socol Piers Resnick & Dym, Ltd. He is an internationally recognized trial and appellate attorney with concentrations in complex litigation and constitutional matters, and decades of experience in complex and class action litigation in a broad array of federal and state courts around the country.
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About the Illinois Accountability Commission (IAC)
The Illinois Accountability Commission (IAC) is an independent body established by Executive Order to review federal law enforcement operations in Illinois, document their impact on residents and communities, and make recommendations for accountability and reform. With support from the Illinois Department of Human Rights, the Commission will conduct public hearings and issue an interim report to the Governor and the People of Illinois by January 31, 2026, with a final report by April 30, 2026.