SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS – Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem hosted a press conference in Illinois Governor Pritzker’s backyard with Angel Families to call out the state’s sanctuary policies that she claims undermine the rule of law and endanger fellow Americans.
Some of the Angel Families who attended the press conference include:
Jim Walden, Angel Father of Lance Corporal James Ray “Jimmy” Walden III. Jimmy was killed by a twice-deported illegal alien who crashed into Jimmy’s motorcycle. He was killed in Maryland, but his father lives in Illinois.
Kathy Zander, Angel Mother of John Zander. Four days before his 23rd birthday, John was convinced by his best friend to snort cocaine, not knowing that his friend had spiked it with fentanyl. John died from fentanyl poisoning.
Brian McCann, Angel Brother of Dennis “Denny” McCann. Denny was crossing the street when he was hit by a car in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood and dragged to his death by an illegal alien. The driver was charged in the fatal crash, but after being released on bond, he disappeared.
Nancy Platania Angel Mother of Nick Platania who tragically lost his life to a fentanyl overdose. Nick worked to get others clean from drugs and started his own business before his life was tragically taken by deadly drugs funneled into American communities.
There are more than 200 sanctuary jurisdictions across the nation.
“I am calling upon Governor Pritzker, and other leaders in the state of Illinois, to abandon these dangerous sanctuary policies,” said Secretary Kristi Noem. “We need to return to law and order and put the safety of Americans first.”
Just this month, ICE arrested Mexican national, Martin Chavez-Lomeli Jr., convicted in 2023 of killing his father and was sentenced to 20 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC). After his conviction for second-degree murder, he was removeable from the country.
However, in 2023, ICE placed a detainer on Chavez-Lomeli Jr. at Illinois Department of Correction and the State of Illinois elected not to honor the ICE detainer. Chavez-Lomeli Jr. was released from prison after serving less than 6 years of a 20-year sentence and was placed on parole.
On April 28, 2025, President Donald Trump signed the Protecting American Communities from Criminal Aliens Executive Order. Under the President’s order, the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Attorney General are directed to publish a list of states and local jurisdictions that obstruct the enforcement of federal immigration laws.
This is part of a media blitz by the administration, ICE, and Homeland Security are doing because the American public doesn’t like the methods they are using to arrest, detain and imprison people. It goes against our Constitution and most Americans’ better judgement.