CHICAGO ─ State Senator Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) released the following statement highlighting the need to protect local communities from federal immigration enforcement tactics:

“The death of Alex Pretti sends a clear message to our communities – that the federal administration will blatantly disregard our civil rights and court orders for their dangerous agenda.

“What we have seen recently in Minnesota and in our own neighborhoods of Chicago highlights continued patterns of excessive force and intimidation used to strip our neighbors of their rights, insight fear in our communities and keep us quiet.

“No one should have to worry about being intimidated, faced with violence, killed and/or stripped of their rights from federal agents.

“I am grateful for the leadership from Governor Pritzker and Attorney General Kwame Raoul for taking swift, decisive action against these abuses of power. Their direct action through a lawsuit against the federal administration’s Department of Homeland Security over the unlawful and dangerous tactics used by ICE shows that Illinois will continue to stand up for the rights of our residents.

“We must abolish ICE and hold those in positions of authority accountable for the dangerous actions they have sanctioned and that are not providing safer communities. We will not be silent. We will continue to speak out and stand up. We will continue to be there for one another.”