ICYMI: Governor Pritzker Meets with Community Members Amid Heightened Concern of Trump’s Federal Deployment Plans

September 5, 2025

CHICAGO – Governor JB Pritzker spent the week in constant communication with community leaders and partners across the Chicagoland area amid imminent plans of a possible federal occupation and increased immigration enforcement by the Trump Administration.

Throughout the week, Gov. Pritzker met with school administrators, community violence interventionists, and local businesses in Pilsen, Berwyn, and Englewood, to hear firsthand about the impact and fear of Trump’s impending federal actions in our neighborhoods.

During every outing this week, Gov. Pritzker witnessed the strength and fortitude of Chicagoans all across the city who care about their communities and their neighbors. As the weekend nears, everyone is encouraged to look out for each other, know your rights, and film and record anything you see happening. Chicago, and the State of Illinois will be loud for America.

INFORMING THE PUBLIC

Gov. Pritzker started the week by hosting a press conference with Mayor Brandon Johnson, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, Attorney General Kwame Raoul, and Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton to prepare and equip residents with the needed resources ahead of increased immigration enforcement. Gov. Pritzker also encouraged everyone to peacefully protest since Trump will use any excuse of provocation to deploy the National Guard.

*Governor Pritzker delivers remarks at Tuesday’s press conference with Mayor Johnson and Lt. Gov. Stratton. (Office of the Governor)*

SPEAKING UP FOR BUSINESSES

This week, Gov. Pritzker also published an op-ed in Crain’s Chicago Business outlining the concerns from the Chicago business community about Trump’s threats to send troops to Illinois. The piece highlighted the ongoing support from businesses for existing public safety efforts, including over $100 million invested into successful anti-violence programs.

*Gov. Pritzker browses the selection of soccer cleats with Miguel Tovar, owner and manager of Extreme Soccer in Berwyn. (Office of the Governor)*

VISITING A TRAINING IN PILSEN

On Wednesday, Gov. Pritzker visited the Metropolitan Peace Academy, a program of Metropolitan Peace Initiatives, that trains individuals for community violence intervention (CVI) work to build a citywide CVI network. Their trainings equip street outreach workers, case managers, and victim advocates with skills and best practices to reduce violence.

The Governor also met with representatives from the Midwest Immigrant Defense Alliance, a coalition of seven immigrant legal service providers that have built a coordinated referral system for Illinois residents in immigration detention to access legal representation.

*Gov. Pritzker speaks to a group of outreach workers at the Metropolitan Peace Academy. (Office of the Governor)*

SEEING STUDENTS IN BERWYN

On Thursday, Gov. Pritzker visited Prairie Oak Elementary School in Berwyn to mark the beginning of the school year and hear from teachers and administrators about the impact and emotional toll of pending immigration actions on students and families in their school district. Amid the constant attacks and hurtful rhetoric towards immigrant communities, schools play a critical role in providing a stable and safe learning environment, meals, resources for families, after school programs, and more.

Gov. Pritzker visits a kindergarten classroom at Prairie Oak Elementary School in Berwyn. (Office of the Governor)

MEETING PEACEKEEPERS IN ENGLEWOOD

On Friday, Gov. Pritzker met with case managers and victim advocates at Public Equity in Englewood, an organization that identifies local individuals at immediate or high risk of becoming victims or perpetrators of gun violence, and mediates existing and potential violent incidents. Known as “trusted messengers” in the community, Public Equity’s outreach staff believes community members are the experts on their neighborhoods and that genuine relationships with the community are crucial to mitigating violence.

Local collaboration is the key to success with intervening in the systemic cycle of violence, and Illinois has a number of CVI programs and partners with a clear track record of success and resources. The Peacekeepers program sends trained community members out to de-escalate and mitigate conflicts in the most violent hotspots in the city. Those interventions were found to have decreased shootings 41% in program areas, with a 31% decrease in the surrounding community.