Illinois Senate Primary Heats Up as Candidates Focus on Immigration and ICE

The Democratic primary race for Illinois’ open Senate seat is increasingly centered on immigration policy and the role of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), with candidates staking out distinct positions on the agency’s future. The contest, spurred by the retirement of Senator Dick Durbin, is being viewed as an early test of how anti-ICE messaging will resonate with Democratic voters nationwide.

A Central Issue in the Campaign

According to ad-tracking firm AdImpact, fully two-thirds of television ads in the last month of the race have mentioned ICE . This focus comes amid heightened scrutiny of ICE following enforcement surges in cities like Chicago, Los Angeles, and Minneapolis, where federal agents shot and killed two U.S. Citizens earlier this year.

Candidates’ Positions on ICE

The three leading Democratic candidates – Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton, and Representative Robin Kelly – have each presented different approaches to ICE:

• Raja Krishnamoorthi: Advocates for reforms and abolishing “Trump’s ICE,” focusing on measures like barring agents from wearing masks, requiring identification, and ending warrantless arrests.
• Juliana Stratton: Calls for the complete abolition of ICE, arguing the agency cannot be reformed. She proposes investing in immigration judges and community-based resources.
• Robin Kelly: Seeks to “dismantle” ICE and the Department of Homeland Security, deeming the department “too big, too unwieldy and…not accountable.”

Recent Events and Political Context

The debate over ICE has been fueled by recent events, including Operation Midway Blitz in the Chicago area, during which agents shot two people and arrested roughly 1,600 individuals. The deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, killed by federal agents in January, also galvanized opposition to ICE and Customs and Border Protection tactics. A NBC News Decision Desk Poll conducted after those deaths found that 67% of Americans, including 97% of Democrats, believed ICE and CBP agents’ tactics had gone too far.

Krishnamoorthi Faces Scrutiny Over Donations

Representative Krishnamoorthi has faced criticism from Stratton regarding campaign donations received from Shyam Sankar, a top executive at Palantir, a software company that contracts with ICE. Krishnamoorthi defended his record, emphasizing his own background as an immigrant and stating that he would not be influenced by such donations. He also pointed to Stratton’s acceptance of contributions from CoreCivic, a private prison firm and ICE contractor.

Republican Opposition to Oversight

In a separate development, House Republicans recently blocked a motion by Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi to subpoena Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to testify regarding abuses by DHS, ICE, and CBP under the Trump administration. Krishnamoorthi cited deadly shootings, wrongful detentions, and a lack of response to congressional oversight requests as reasons for the subpoena.

Looking Ahead

The Illinois Senate primary is poised to be a key indicator of how effectively anti-ICE messaging will mobilize Democratic voters in the upcoming election cycle. The candidates’ differing approaches to ICE highlight the complexities of immigration policy and the ongoing debate over the agency’s role in enforcing immigration laws.