Illinois governor signs executive order to track ‘unlawful attacks’ by federal agents

By Asiye Latife Yilmaz

ISTANBUL (AA) - Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed an executive order Thursday creating the Illinois Accountability Commission to maintain a permanent record of alleged civil rights violations by federal agents in Chicago.

In an interview with CBS News, Pritzker said Illinois is documenting “unlawful attacks” by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers under Operation Midway Blitz, which has focused on arresting and deporting individuals deemed "criminal illegal aliens."

"They are attacking people on the ground — ICE, CBP — going after people just because they're Brown or Black," Pritzker said.

"No one above them is holding them responsible. Greg Bovino, who is running the operation in Chicago, isn't holding them accountable. No one is. So we're going to have to keep a record," he added.

Pritzker’s office announced that a nine-member task force appointed by the governor will document federal law enforcement activities and propose measures to hold the federal government accountable for operations in Illinois.

"The commission will be charged with three core missions. One, creating a public record of the abuses; two, capturing the impact on families and communities; and three, recommending actions to prevent further harm and pursue justice," Pritzker said.

Pritzker said the task force will be supported by the Illinois Department of Human Rights, with hearings expected to begin in “several weeks,” and urged residents to document federal law enforcement actions, noting that hundreds of videos and firsthand accounts have already been collected for potential legal use.

"These people need to be held accountable," he said. "And they will be — by the judiciary now, and by Congress or the next administration later."

Ruben Castillo, the former chief judge of the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, will chair the commission.