Governor Pritzker Announces Measures in Response to Trump Administration’s Constitutional Abuses

CHICAGO - Today, Governor JB Pritzker announced a series of measures against El Salvador in response to its role in aiding the Trump Administration’s defiance of court orders and violations of due process. ​

As laid out in the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments of the United States Constitution, no one should be deprived of life and liberty without due process of law. However, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was legally residing in the United States, did not receive any due process before the Trump Administration illegally deported him to El Salvador -- even though the first Trump Administration granted a withholding of removal order in 2019. Additionally, the Trump Administration admitted it sent Abrego Garcia to El Salvador because of an administrative error.

Despite a unanimous decision from the Supreme Court of the United States ordering the Trump Administration to facilitate Abrego Garcia’s return because of his wrongful deportation, he continues to be held in illegal confinement in El Salvador. This week, Donald Trump doubled down on his illegal actions and saying he will not allow Constitutional due process. Because the Trump Administration is refusing to comply with various court orders and follow the rule of law, the State of Illinois is announcing new measures against El Salvador for aiding the Trump Administration’s unlawful and unconstitutional actions.

“The United States Constitution guarantees due process. We are witnessing Donald Trump erode our fundamental Constitutional rights in real time, and we must fight to restore the balance of power,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “The State of Illinois will stand up for the Rule of Law and do everything in our power stop the Trump Administration from ripping apart our most basic rights.”

Until the Trump Administration and El Salvador follow the law, the State of Illinois will enact the following measures: ​ ​

1. Evaluate If Illinois Pension Funds Benefit El Salvador: The Governor is requesting the Illinois State Board of Investment (ISBI), the State Universities Retirement System (SURS), and the Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS) review all investments as soon as possible to identify any fund investments in companies that are wholly or partially managed, owned, or controlled by the government of El Salvador; established or organized under the laws of El Salvador; or whose principal place of business is in El Salvador.

The results of these reviews should cover all of the pension investments of the State of Illinois and be provided by ISBI, SURS and TRS to their Boards. The Governor requests that the Boards of ISBI, SURS and TRS provide a summary of the review ​ to the Governor’s Office. This will enable the State of Illinois to determine whether it should take legislative action to prohibit the State retirement systems from investing in companies that are wholly or partially managed, owned, or controlled by the government of El Salvador; established or organized under the laws of El Salvador; or whose principal place of business is in El Salvador. Currently, the pension systems are prohibited from investing in the following: companies that boycott Israel, for-profit companies that contract to shelter migrant children, I ran-restricted companies, expatriated entities, companies that are domiciled or have their principal place of business in Russia or Belarus, and companies that are subject to Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions. ​

2. Stop Procurements from El Salvador: The Governor’s Office is directing the Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS) to launch a procurement review to identify any State contracts awarded to companies that are wholly or partially managed, owned, or controlled by the government of El Salvador; established or organized under the laws of El Salvador; or whose principal place of business is in El Salvador.

3. Analyze Trade with El Salvador: Before taking any actions that could have economic impacts against El Salvador, the Governor is directing the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) Office of Trade and Investment to conduct further analysis of trade between Illinois and El Salvador, including (1) the scale and nature of imports from El Salvador to Illinois and (2) the extent to which goods produced in El Salvador are in the supply chain of products manufactured in Illinois. The agency should send a summary of their analysis in a report to the Governor’s Office. ​

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