Ted Dabrowski, Republican candidate for governor of Illinois, said that he opposes Governor JB Pritzker’s sanctuary policies, saying they prevent local jails from transferring criminal immigrants to federal authorities and create challenges for community safety and public resources in Chicago.
“I called out Pritzker’s continued support of Sanctuary policies and his refusal to hand over criminals directly from local jails to the feds – like they do in the non-sanctuary states,” said Dabrowski. “If Pritzker would simply cooperate with federal law enforcement, there’d be no need for ICE to chase people in the streets But Pritzker refuses. In fact, Pritzker makes it worse He foments more violence and protests by calling federal law enforcement officers “nazis” and “terrorists” and “jack-booted thugs. We must protect our borders We must remove illegal immigrant criminals We must obey federal law.”
According to Dabrowski’s post on X following his appearance on CBS News Chicago, he discussed illegal immigration and criticized Pritzker’s policies. The post emphasized the refusal to cooperate with federal authorities and called for enhanced border protection and the removal of criminal immigrants.
Reports indicate that since January 2025, Illinois has released 1,768 criminal illegal aliens despite Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainers. This includes individuals connected to five homicides, 141 assaults, 23 burglaries, and ten sexual predatory offenses. Sanctuary policies in Chicago prevent local jails from directly handing over these individuals to federal agents, compelling ICE to pursue them within communities and heightening safety threats for residents.
The financial burden on Illinois taxpayers is projected to exceed $2.5 billion by the end of 2025 due to migrant care costs, with $1.6 billion already spent on healthcare programs—exceeding projections by nearly four times. The expansion of sanctuary policies in Chicago diverts funds from citizen priorities such as schools and infrastructure, exacerbating resource strains under progressive welfare policies for non-citizens.
Nationwide data reveals that ICE identifies thousands of criminal illegal aliens in custody, with Illinois holding over 4,000 individuals linked to 51 homicides and 813 sexual predatory offenses. Non-cooperation by sanctuary jurisdictions results in releases that pose dangers to communities as federal agents must track offenders post-release amid lax border controls.
Dabrowski previously served as president of Wirepoints and vice president of policy at the Illinois Policy Institute before entering the Republican primary for Illinois governor. His campaign focuses on data-driven reforms aimed at addressing taxes, pensions, and immigration enforcement.
