Illinois Governor JB Pritzker politely asked Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to suspend ICE enforcement operations for the night of Halloween so that children could safely trick-or-treat without fear of being pepper-sprayed.

On October 25, ICE raids in Chicago’s Old Irving Park district caused a children’s Halloween parade to relocate after its planned route took them past streets that were filled with tear gas. Video from the incident shows one father confronting agents, accusing them of “scaring the children” by conducting raids in the residential neighborhood.

Noem responded to Pritzker’s plea for a one-day pause by saying, “We are going to be out on the streets in full force and increase activities to make sure kids are safe.” 

Kristi Noem just said ICE will “be out on the streets in full force” on Halloween “to make sure kids are safe.”

That’s not ICE’s job. It’s not community safety, it’s intimidation dressed up as law enforcement. pic.twitter.com/hzWO2a3XoK

— Brian Allen (@allenanalysis) October 30, 2025