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Chief Border Patrol agent Gregory Bovino unloaded on Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker Wednesday, responding to the Democrat’s claim that the Trump administration launched an “unconstitutional invasion” of Chicago by conducting federal law enforcement operations to mitigate crime.
“I doubt the governor could fill custard in a pie factory if it came down to it, but what he is adept at is placing his citizens, his law enforcement officers, and his state in jeopardy at the hands of criminals,” Bovino said on “Fox & Friends First.”
“It’s plain and simple: he doesn’t care,” he added.
DHS TAKES ON PRITZKER’S ‘SMORGASBORD OF LIES,’ RELEASES LIST DEBUNKING HIS CLAIMS
Gregory K. Bovino, US Border Patrol El Centro Sector Chief, walks on the scene as a large group of federal law enforcement officers arrive at MacArthur Park in Los Angeles, California, on July 7, 2025. (left); Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker speaks during a press conference amid reports of federal deployments to Chicago on Sept. 2, 2025 in Chicago Illinois. (right) (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images (left); Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP via Getty Images (right))
“He has not mentioned bounties on federal law enforcement. He’s not mentioned those individuals that you talked about at the beginning of the segment that prey on American citizens that are walking the streets. He needs to get with the program because he’s not doing it right now.”
While speaking in Springfield on Monday, Pritzker thanked state Attorney General Kwame Raoul as well as his staff, general counsel and legal team for preparing federal lawsuits in anticipation of what he called the Trump administration’s “unconstitutional invasion of Illinois.”
TRUMP OFFICIALS SLAM BLUE STATE GOVERNOR FOR IGNORING CHAOTIC ANTI-ICE ‘RIOTERS’ DISRUPTING OPERATION
Demonstrators march through downtown protesting the agenda of the Trump Administration on Sept. 30 in Chicago. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
“I refuse to let Donald Trump, Kristi Noem, and Gregory Bovino continue on this march toward autocracy,” Pritzker said on the heels of President Trump ordering National Guard deployments to Chicago.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) fired back in a press release on Monday, insisting that the “reality” is the agency’s moves are “neither unconstitutional nor an invasion.”
DHS also rebuked Pritzker’s claim that the agency is targeting racial minorities rather than criminals as well as his claim that U.S. citizens have been targeted in such operations.
Bovino, who is spearheading Operation Midway Blitz in the Windy City, echoed DHS claims that Tren de Aragua gang members and people in the terrorist screening database have been apprehended.
“Those folks oftentimes are walking with impunity on the streets of Chicago, and that’s why we’re here,” he said.
“That’s why we have this federal response here… When our local elected politicians won’t do the job, we will.”
Bovino’s comments came after DHS arrested a suspected Latin Kings member for placing a bounty on him.
Fox News’ Greg Norman contributed to this report.
Taylor Penley is an associate editor with Fox News.
