Pritzker Creates Commission to Probe ICE, CBP Conduct

Gov. JB Pritzker signed an executive order creating the Illinois Accountability Commission to document and publicize alleged misconduct by federal immigration agents — including ICE and CBP under "Operation Midway Blitz" — conducting operations across Chicago and the state. The commission will collect videos and witness testimony, hold hearings and create a permanent public record that can be used by courts, Congress or future administrations, and will recommend steps to pursue accountability. It will be composed of up to nine members appointed by the governor and supported by the Illinois Department of Human Rights but will have no subpoena power or direct law‑enforcement authority. The move follows high‑profile incidents, including detentions in Little Village and widespread videos of masked agents, and a federal judge has extended a restraining order blocking troop deployment in Chicago as related legal battles continue. Pritzker urged residents to record encounters, saying hundreds of videos and firsthand accounts already collected will be preserved and amplified by the commission.