JB Pritzker on Law Enforcement

Disputes over the policies, conduct, and oversight of law enforcement agencies.

How we classify topics

Counts show individual statements. They do not assign an overall position.

Statement history

3 statements on this page. Dates: April 27, 2022 to October 4, 2026

3 matching statements. Dates: April 27, 2022 to October 4, 2026

3 published statements. Dates: April 27, 2022 to October 4, 2026

Condemned

1 published statement. Dates: October 4, 2026

1 statement on this page. Dates: October 4, 2026

JB Pritzker

Role at the time: Governor of Illinois

October 4, 2026Condemned

Statement summary

Governor JB Pritzker criticized the shooting of Marimar Martinez and DHS's description of her as a domestic terrorist. On the shooting anniversary, he said she had been warning her neighbors and called for justice and accountability from the federal government.

“Marimar Martinez was shot five times by a Border Patrol agent and branded a “domestic terrorist” by DHS — all for just warning her neighbors and speaking her truth during Operation Midway Blitz. She deserves true justice and accountability from the federal government.”

Read the original post

Governor Pritzker calls for accountability for Marimar Martinez on the shooting anniversary · JB PritzkerPost 2106856006886314290, full written caption; published October 4, 2026 at 21:16:30 UTC

Pritzker's official account posted a written statement about Martinez on the anniversary of her shooting. He criticized the shooting and DHS's description of her, and called for federal accountability. The written caption accompanies a video.

Archived copy

Why we used this label

Pritzker criticizes the shooting under scrutiny by saying Martinez was shot for warning her neighbors. His call for justice follows that criticism of the shooting and DHS's description of her.

Read statement Full case: Was Border Patrol Agent Charles Exum justified in shooting Marimar Martinez?

Defended or excused

1 published statement. Dates: April 27, 2022

1 statement on this page. Dates: April 27, 2022

JB Pritzker

Role at the time: Illinois governor

April 27, 2022Defended or excused

Statement summary

Pritzker endorsed expansion of the license plate reader network on Chicago-area expressways to help investigate shootings.

“My administration is bringing over 150 automated license plate readers to Chicagoland expressways ahead of the summer”

Read the official statementPritzker backs expansion of Chicago expressway license plate readersPage 1, governor's quotation and expressway deployment details

The Illinois State Police announced installation of additional expressway readers.

Archived copy

Why we used this label

Relative to networked ALPR surveillance, Pritzker explicitly endorses expanding the network. His position is established by his own quotation.

Read statement Full case: Should Flock-style license-plate surveillance networks exist?

Challenged the characterization

1 published statement. Dates: September 29, 2025

1 statement on this page. Dates: September 29, 2025

JB Pritzker

Role at the time: Governor of Illinois

September 29, 2025Challenged the characterization

Statement summary

Pritzker contrasted DHS’s serious-injury account with the agent’s own description and said the evidence left major questions unanswered.

“The video has brought to light that the injuries were — in the agent’s own words — ‘nothing major.’ A man is dead. A community is shaken up. And we are yet again left with more questions than answers.”

Open sourceBodycam videos show ICE agents’ initial reactions to fatal Chicago shooting

NBC News report on released Franklin Park police body-camera footage and the competing public statements from DHS and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker.

Why we used this label

He disputes a central factual premise of DHS’s defense but stops short of a final legal judgment on the shooting.

Read statement Full case: Was ICE justified in fatally shooting Silverio Villegas González?