Yesterday’s press conference featuring Governor J.B. Pritzker and Mayor Brandon Johnson was not just political theater, it was reckless and dangerous. Both leaders chose to disparage law enforcement officials, to cast federal immigration officers as villains, and to offer uncritical praise and sympathy for those who have broken our immigration laws. This kind of rhetoric does not serve the people of Illinois; it undermines the very institutions that keep our communities safe. When Governor Pritzker accuses officers of “harassing people for not being white,” and when Mayor Johnson characterizes their presence as “intimidation,” they are not making a nuanced case for reform; they are painting with a broad, inflammatory brush that delegitimizes entire agencies and the thousands of men and women who serve honorably every day. Law enforcement is not a sickness or an enemy. These are professionals sworn to uphold the law, bound by due process and oversight, and accountable to the people they serve. While misconduct must always be addressed, it is profoundly irresponsible for the state’s highest officials to cast the entire system as inherently corrupt.
This kind of rhetoric has consequences. Words matter. When elected leaders portray officers as oppressors, they fuel resentment, they inflame already tense communities, and they risk inciting confrontation and even violence against the very individuals who stand between order and chaos. We have seen this movie before in other parts of the country, reckless words lead to hostility on the streets, to increased danger for officers, and to a breakdown of trust between the public and those sworn to protect it. Such rhetoric does not protect immigrant communities, it undermines them, because it creates division where we should be building unity. And it dismisses the daily sacrifices of officers while ignoring the real victims of crime who depend on the rule of law for justice and safety.
Leadership should sound very different. Real leaders support lawful enforcement and acknowledge that the rule of law is not optional. Real leaders call out specific misconduct when it occurs, but they do not disparage entire agencies or demonize every officer. Real leaders center their message on public safety and on the victims who suffer when order breaks down. And real leaders offer solutions, reforms such as transparency, accountability, training, and oversight, instead of simply throwing rhetorical grenades for political gain. Chicago and Illinois need unity, not more polarization. Our neighborhoods are already stretched thin by crime, violence, and economic hardship. The public needs reassurance that their leaders will stand for both fairness and safety, that they will support officers in their lawful duties while ensuring justice and compassion for all communities.
What we heard on Monday was the opposite. It was divisive, inflammatory, and reckless. It weakens law enforcement, it deepens mistrust, and it sets the stage for future violence. Immigration policy can and should be debated. Reform is necessary, compassion is important, oversight is essential. But none of that requires vilifying the people sworn to enforce our laws. The Governor and the Mayor must rise above this kind of rhetoric and remember their first duty, to protect the safety, security, and unity of the people they serve. Anything less is a failure of leadership.
Commissioner Sean M. Morrison
17th District, Cook County