Pritzker launches plan to track federal forces
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Gov. JB Pritzker at his accountability commission announcement Thursday flanked by staff and commission members. Photo: Screenshot of State of Illinois livestream
Gov. JB Pritzker is launching an Illinois Accountability Commission (IAC) to document the "military style" actions of federal law enforcement in the state and create pathways for accountability.
Why it matters: Immigrant advocates have been demanding state action for months as Department of Homeland Security agents have conducted warrantless arrests, a raid on an entire building and crowd control using tear gas and rubber bullets on non-violent protesters.
- This commission, announced Thursday, has the potential to centralize the collection and archiving of videos and documents that are now shared in an ad hoc way.
What they're saying: "We are going after [accountability] in every way that we possibly can," Pritzker said, acknowledging the pleas he's heard for more push back. "The record that they are going to create … will allow accountability to be had."
- "Take video," he urged. "It's a protest of its own just to take the video and make it available to the public."
The other side: "Once again, Governor Pritzker continues to smear law enforcement who are simply enforcing the rule of law," assistant DHS secretary Tricia McLaughlin tells Axios.
Between the lines: The documentation could help contextualize official DHS statements. This month, federal judge April Perry temporarily halted the deployment of the National Guard in Chicago, based, in part, on DHS accounts being "unreliable."
How it will work: Over the next three months, the nine-member commission — led by Rubén Castillo, former chief judge of U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois — will conduct hearings and gather testimony from the public.
- The commission will also review social media, statements by leaders and gather other evidence to understand the context and directives behind the federal agents' actions.
- It will issue a report with recommendations and findings in January 2026.
Reality check: Pritzker acknowledged that accountability may not be swift and that the agents "theoretically have federal immunity."
- This week, DHS officials told a judge that no agent has yet been disciplined for any local actions.
- Still, Pritzker says the records will be useful in court and "looks forward to the moment when the judiciary will act."
What's next: Pritzker is asking Illinoisans who've seen "concerning conduct" by federal agents to go to the IAC website for more information.
- The site cannot currently accept uploaded video, but the governor's office says "stay tuned."