Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker takes steps to boycott El Salvador in protest of Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s detention

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, a member of the Democratic Party, declared on Wednesday his intention to have various state agencies reassess their connections with El Salvador due to what his office described as assisting the Trump administration’s actions that were deemed unlawful and unconstitutional.

Pritzker, who is seen as a possible presidential candidate in 2028, stated in a release, “The U.S. Constitution guarantees due process. We are witnessing Donald Trump undermine our fundamental Constitutional rights in real-time, and we must strive to restore the balance of power. The State of Illinois will defend the Rule of Law and take all necessary steps to prevent the Trump administration from dismantling our most basic rights.”

According to a statement from Pritzker’s office, Illinois pension funds have been instructed to examine if they have investments in companies located in El Salvador, and the Illinois Department of Central Management Services has been tasked with reviewing whether any state procurement contracts have been awarded to companies with El Salvadoran ties.

Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele recently aligned with Trump in the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s deportation. The Trump administration acknowledges that Abrego Garcia was wrongly deported to El Salvador but insists he was a member of the violent MS-13 gang, a claim disputed by his wife and attorney. As Abrego Garcia is now in El Salvador’s custody, the U.S. administration asserts they cannot bring him back, a decision Bukele has supported.

During a meeting with Trump, Bukele rejected the idea of freeing Abrego Garcia, calling the suggestion absurd. Meanwhile, S. Chris Van Hollen, a Democratic senator from Maryland, proposed on “Meet the Press” that divesting from El Salvador could be a tactic to pressure Bukele into releasing Abrego Garcia, among other methods.

Alexandra Marquez, a politics reporter for NBC News, provided this information.