In a bold move reflective of his administration's stance on immigration and constitutional rights, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, a member of the Democratic Party, announced on Wednesday that he would direct multiple state agencies to scrutinize their connections with El Salvador. This decision comes in response to what Pritzkers office describes as the states involvement in aiding the Trump administrations unlawful and unconstitutional actions.

The United States Constitution guarantees due process. We are witnessing Donald Trump erode our fundamental Constitutional rights in real time, and we must fight to restore the balance of power, Pritzker stated emphatically. He went on to declare, The State of Illinois will stand up for the Rule of Law and do everything in our power to stop the Trump administration from ripping apart our most basic rights. This stance positions Pritzker as a vocal critic of the former president and an advocate for civil liberties, further solidifying his reputation as a potential candidate for the 2028 presidential elections.

Pritzkers office issued a release detailing the specific actions they are taking. They have instructed various Illinois pension funds to assess whether they are invested in any firms headquartered in El Salvador. Additionally, the Illinois Department of Central Management Services has been ordered to investigate whether any state procurement contracts have been awarded to companies that are either based in or controlled by entities from El Salvador. This multifaceted approach underscores the governor's commitment to aligning state investments with his administration's values and legal perspectives.

Central to this controversy is Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, who has recently aligned himself with Trump in the highly publicized deportation case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia. The Trump administration has acknowledged that Abrego Garcia was wrongfully deported to El Salvador; however, they maintain that he is a member of the notorious MS-13 gang, despite contradictory statements from both his wife and attorney, who assert his innocence.

Furthermore, members of the Trump administration have claimed that since Abrego Garcia is currently in custody in El Salvador, they are unable to facilitate his return to the United States. President Bukele has responded defiantly, stating, Of course Im not going to do it, during a recent meeting with Trump at the Oval Office. He dismissed the notion of releasing Abrego Garcia as preposterous, indicating a lack of willingness to intervene in the matter.

Adding to the conversation, Senator Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat from Maryland, visited Abrego Garcia in El Salvador last week and discussed the issue on NBC News Meet the Press. He suggested that disinvestment from El Salvador might exert pressure on President Bukele to reconsider his position regarding Abrego Garcia's release. There are also pressures we can put on the government of El Salvador, including through, you know, people deciding not to invest in El Salvador, Americans not traveling to El Salvador. So I think there are other pressure points, Van Hollen articulated, emphasizing the potential impact of economic decisions on political stances.