Halloween may not be a treat this year in Illinois, despite the best efforts of Gov. JB Pritzker.
On Wednesday night, Pritzker sent a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem asking that the immigration sweeps taking place in Chicago temporarily be paused on Friday night.
“Illinois families deserve to spend Halloween weekend without fear. No child should be forced to inhale tear gas or other chemical agents while trick or treating in their own neighborhood,” Pritzker wrote. “Illinois children should not be robbed of their innocence. Let them enjoy a time-honored American tradition safely and peacefully. Please let children be children for one holiday, free from intimidation and fear.”
Pritzker later told reporters he was “asking for basic human decency” and said he thought “their response would be revealing.”
Noem suggested she had little interest in entertaining Pritzker’s request when asked about on Fox News on Thursday.
“Pritzker has asked you specifically to pause immigration enforcement operations in Chicago so kids can safely celebrate Halloween. Do you have any plans to alter activity tomorrow?” Sandra Smith asked.
“No. We’re gonna be out on the streets in full force and increase our activities to make sure kids are safe,” Noem insisted, before claiming the work being done is beneficial to children.
“Every day in Chicago, we’re arresting murderers, child pedophiles, those who have perpetuated assault and pornography against children,” she said. “We’re going to be out there to make sure they can be safe, enjoy the holidays, spend some time with their family and friends and their neighbors and community, and they don’t have to be the victim of a crime because of illegal immigration.”
Pritzker, who has previously accused the Trump administration of turning Chicago into a “war zone,” didn’t seem surprised by Noem’s tough talk, and responded with both mockery and disgust:
We know Kristi Noem must love Halloween because she always dresses in law enforcement costumes, but what is truly shameful is that she refuses to agree that we shouldn’t tear gas children trick or treating.
Although Pritzker obviously wants a safe Halloween, New Republic staff writer Greg Sargent suggested an additional reason why the governor made the public request: to get Noem’s willingness to traumatize kids on public record.
Please note what happened here. By challenging Trump to pause his terror raids for Halloween, Pritzker forced Kristi Noem to come out *for* continuing to traumatize kids. Polarizing these debates draws attention/forces MAGA depravity into the light.