The Illinois Senate primary race has become a focal point for intense debate over immigration policies, with the leading Democratic candidates promising significant changes to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. This development reflects the heightened prominence of immigration as a critical issue within the Democratic Party, especially following the tragic deaths of two U.S. citizens in Minnesota earlier this year. These events have galvanized activists and politicians alike, pushing immigration reform to the forefront of the midterm election agenda.
Across the country, opposition to President Donald Trump’s stringent immigration measures has proven to be a powerful rallying cry for Democratic candidates. For instance, in New Jersey, Analilia Mejia secured a victory in a crowded special congressional primary by campaigning on a platform that included abolishing ICE, the federal agency known for its aggressive deportation tactics and heavily armed enforcement operations in American cities. This approach has resonated with progressive voters who view ICE as emblematic of harsh immigration enforcement under the Trump administration.
However, adopting such a hardline stance against ICE carries potential risks for Democrats as they prepare for the general elections in November. While some analysts warn that this could alienate moderate voters in more conservative districts, Illinois presents a unique political landscape. The state has long been a Democratic bastion, with no Republican winning statewide office since 2014. This political stability provides a safer environment for candidates advocating for bold immigration reforms.
Senator Dick Durbin, who is retiring after decades of service, has been a prominent liberal voice in the Senate and a dedicated advocate for immigrant rights. He has championed legislation aimed at providing a pathway to citizenship for immigrants brought to the U.S. as children. The candidates vying to succeed Durbin have embraced immigration reform as a central campaign issue, particularly focusing on the future of ICE. This shift comes amid declining public support for Trump’s immigration policies, with his approval rating on the matter dropping from 50% a year ago to just 39% by late February, polling data.
Among the frontrunners, U.S. Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi has openly called for the abolition of what he terms “Trump’s ICE.” Illinois Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton, who actively protested during a deportation surge in Chicago last fall, advocates for completely dismantling the agency. Meanwhile, U.S. Representative Robin Kelly has taken an even more radical position, suggesting that the entire Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, should be dismantled, and has called for the impeachment of its outgoing secretary, Kristi Noem.
Political experts note that the differences between these candidates on immigration are subtle, with the main distinctions lying in how aggressively they oppose ICE and Trump’s policies. Ruth Bloch Rubin, a political science professor at the University of Chicago, explains that in such a crowded field, candidates often differentiate themselves by how forcefully they challenge the opposition. The winner of this primary will face one of six Republican contenders in the general election, though the race is widely expected to remain securely in Democratic hands.
Krishnamoorthi, known as a moderate, entered Congress in 2016 and initially held a substantial lead over Stratton in early polls, including a 22-point advantage in an Emerson College survey conducted in January. He also outpaced his rivals in fundraising, having raised over $30 million by the end of February, compared to Stratton’s $4 million and Kelly’s $3.3 million. However, recent developments have shifted momentum toward Stratton, bolstered by a $5 million contribution from Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker’s family political action committee. This funding has supported advertisements featuring endorsements from prominent figures like Senator Tammy Duckworth, who openly criticize Trump’s immigration policies.
Despite the strong progressive push in Illinois, some analysts caution that taking a hard stance against ICE could backfire for Democrats in other parts of the country. President Trump’s 2024 campaign emphasizes a tough crackdown on immigration, and Republicans have successfully used themes like “defund the police” to undermine Democratic candidates in previous elections. Nevertheless, Illinois’ unique political and demographic makeup, including a large and politically active immigrant community in Chicago, has made immigration a particularly salient issue in the state for many years.
The immigration debate intensified after Texas Governor Greg Abbott began relocating tens of thousands of migrants from the Mexican border to Chicago in 2022, straining local resources and services. The Trump administration responded with a surge of federal immigration agents in Chicago last summer and attempted to deploy the National Guard, though a federal court blocked this move. The ensuing months saw chaotic confrontations, including the use of tear gas in residential neighborhoods, arrests of protesters, and the fatal shooting of Silverio Villegas Gonzalez, a Mexican father of two. Governor Pritzker condemned the federal actions as an “occupation” and established a commission to investigate alleged misconduct by immigration agents.
Lieutenant Governor Stratton has been personally affected by these events, recounting how her 10-year-old daughter’s school was placed on lockdown twice due to nearby ICE operations. She actively participated in neighborhood rapid response teams and joined protests against the Trump administration’s immigration tactics. Stratton argues that the use of immigration enforcement to instill fear goes beyond policy and reflects an authoritarian agenda. She criticizes her Senate rivals for failing to effectively challenge these tactics in Congress, suggesting this shortcoming should disqualify them from higher office.
Following the fatal shootings of U.S. citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, both Kelly and Krishnamoorthi opposed additional funding for the Department of Homeland Security. They supported Senate Democrats in a partial shutdown of the department that has extended for over a month. Kelly insists that immigration enforcement must be transparent and accountable, advocating for the dismantling and rebuilding of the system to prevent abuses such as warrantless home raids and masked agents operating without oversight.
Krishnamoorthi, who was born in New Delhi and raised in Peoria, Illinois, describes his opposition to Trump’s immigration policies as deeply personal. His vocal stance has made him a target of hostility, including from a Florida city council member who called for mass deportations of Indian immigrants and labeled Krishnamoorthi a “foreign occupier.” Emphasizing his identity as a racial, religious, and ethnic minority immigrant, Krishnamoorthi stresses his commitment to ensuring immigrants feel welcomed and integrated into American society.
Meanwhile, Stratton has criticized Krishnamoorthi’s campaign for accepting donations from Republican donors, including Shyam Sankar, the chief technology officer of Palantir, a contractor for the Department of Homeland Security. In response, Krishnamoorthi’s campaign highlighted that he has donated over $29,000 of contributions received from Sankar since 2015 to immigrant advocacy groups within Illinois, underscoring his dedication to immigrant rights despite the complex funding dynamics.
