Prairie State Wire

Jeanne Ives, a former state legislator and founder of Breakthrough Ideas, has criticized Governor J.B. Pritzker for his conduct during testimony on Illinois' sanctuary policies. Ives said that Pritzker was disrespectful to lawmakers and alleged that he uses personal funds to manage his public image.

"Pritzker Today was combative to say the least," said Jeanne M Ives. "He was particularly rude to Illinois Congressmen LaHood and Miller. This is a guy who has never been told he is wrong and with the power he has thinks he doesn't have to listen to anyone, especially someone who disagrees with him. Don't forget he subsidizes his top employees with his own money because he needs to pay people a premium jus to put up with his ego."

During a June 12 hearing, U.S. Representative Mary Miller shared a video on social media platform X, showcasing an exchange between herself and Governor Pritzker. According to Miller, she questioned Pritzker about collaborating with federal law enforcement to prevent violence in Illinois similar to incidents in Los Angeles. Pritzker responded by affirming the state's cooperation with federal authorities. When Miller brought up the death of Katie Abraham, killed in a car accident involving an undocumented immigrant, she asked if Pritzker would apologize to the family; he did so. However, when Miller attributed the illegal immigration crisis in Illinois to him, Pritzker replied that he "would not be lectured by somebody who extols the virtues of Adolf Hitler."

Screenshot of Jeanne Ives' June 12 post on X | X

The hearing addressed sanctuary policies and featured testimonies from Governors J.B. Pritzker of Illinois, Kathy Hochul of New York, and Tim Walz of Minnesota. According to ABC News, besides his interaction with Rep. Miller, Pritzker criticized former President Donald Trump's decision to deploy military personnel to California during protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). He argued that such actions have an "inflaming effect." House Oversight Chair James Comer accused the governors of contributing to increased crime rates in their states by obstructing law enforcement and ICE activities while ignoring federal laws.

A news release from June 12 by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform summarized the hearing's proceedings. It noted that Governors Pritzker, Walz, and Hochul did not defend what it described as "reckless rhetoric and policies." The release also highlighted the January 2025 death of Katie Abraham at the hands of a previously deported undocumented immigrant with a criminal record who allegedly drove drunk and fled the scene. The committee suggested Congress should reconsider allocating federal funds to states prioritizing protections for undocumented immigrants over American citizens' safety.

Jeanne Ives is known for her tenure as an Illinois State Representative for six years representing House District 42. She ran for governor in 2018 and sought election for Illinois’ 6th Congressional District in 2020.