Border Patrol chief fires back after Pritzker calls federal operations ‘unconstitutional invasion’
Chief Border Patrol agent Gregory Bovino unloaded on Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker Wednesday, responding to the Democrat’s claim that the Trump administration launched an “unconstitutional invasion” of Chicago by conducting federal law enforcement operations to mitigate crime.
“I doubt the governor could fill custard in a pie factory if it came down to it, but what he is adept at is placing his citizens, his law enforcement officers, and his state in jeopardy at the hands of criminals,” Bovino said on “Fox & Friends First.”
“It’s plain and simple: he doesn’t care,” he added.
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“He has not mentioned bounties on federal law enforcement. He’s not mentioned those individuals that you talked about at the beginning of the segment that prey on American citizens that are walking the streets. He needs to get with the program because he’s not doing it right now.”
While speaking in Springfield on Monday, Pritzker thanked state Attorney General Kwame Raoul as well as his staff, general counsel and legal team for preparing federal lawsuits in anticipation of what he called the Trump administration’s “unconstitutional invasion of Illinois.”
“I refuse to let Donald Trump, Kristi Noem, and Gregory Bovino continue on this march toward autocracy,” Pritzker said on the heels of President Trump ordering National Guard deployments to Chicago.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) fired back in a press release on Monday, insisting that the “reality” is the agency’s moves are “neither unconstitutional nor an invasion.”
DHS also rebuked Pritzker’s claim that the agency is targeting racial minorities rather than criminals as well as his claim that U.S. citizens have been targeted in such operations.
Bovino, who is spearheading Operation Midway Blitz in the Windy City, echoed DHS claims that Tren de Aragua gang members and people in the terrorist screening database have been apprehended.
“Those folks oftentimes are walking with impunity on the streets of Chicago, and that’s why we’re here,” he said.
“That’s why we have this federal response here… When our local elected politicians won’t do the job, we will.”
Bovino’s comments came after DHS arrested a suspected Latin Kings member for placing a bounty on him.
Fox News’ Greg Norman contributed to this report.
