A two-hour stop in Springfield by U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem drew sharp criticism and accusations of political posturing. During her visit on Wednesday, Noem launched into a pointed critique of Illinois’s immigration laws and Governor JB Pritzker, while invoking the 2023 murder of Springfield resident Emma Shafer, a well-known progressive activist.
Her brief appearance was viewed by many as an opportunity for a federal official aligned with former President Donald Trump’s administration to spotlight what she called Illinois’s lax immigration policies. Noem visited a DHS office, where she observed two individuals being processed for deportation, and then held a press conference with family members of crime victims allegedly linked to noncitizens.
In a provocative backdrop, Noem held her press conference on the same street where Emma Shafer was murdered by her partner in 2023. Shafer’s friend, Francesca Butler, responded fiercely to Noem’s remarks, asserting that Shafer would have opposed her policies. “Emma Shafer would have never supported Trump’s policies or Kristi Noem’s visit,” Butler said. “She believed in leading with compassion and humility.”
During her remarks, Noem claimed that Shafer’s killer, a Mexican national, remains at large in Illinois, a statement that was disputed by local law enforcement. Springfield police indicated last year that the suspect had not been apprehended and might have left the country.
Noem also criticized Illinois’s immigration protections, alleging they hinder law enforcement efforts. She claimed that state law prevents local authorities from sharing information about undocumented individuals with federal agencies, a contention that Illinois officials and Pritzker sharply rejected. Pritzker called her visit a “publicity stunt,” emphasizing that Illinois complies with federal immigration laws and that her claims are unfounded.
“Illinois’s laws do not make us safer, and Governor Pritzker is protecting undocumented criminals instead of our communities,” Noem asserted. She pointed to crimes committed by individuals in the U.S. illegally as evidence of what she described as the dangers posed by Illinois’s policies.
The governor responded swiftly, stating, “This visit is a political stunt that does nothing to improve safety or uphold our values of fairness and compassion.”
During her trip, Noem also visited a DHS field office where Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials were processing two men from Guatemala, both of whom were slated for deportation. She engaged with ICE officers and the detainees, asking questions about their legal status and charges.
Noem’s visit coincided with upcoming congressional hearings in which Illinois’s immigration policies will be scrutinized. Illinois officials, including Pritzker, are scheduled to testify about their state’s approach to immigration enforcement, amidst ongoing federal lawsuits challenging Illinois’s sanctuary policies. The Department of Justice has sued Illinois twice over laws designed to protect undocumented immigrants, including a recent challenge to the state’s employment verification requirements.
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