Deputy White House Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller issued a direct warning Thursday night to Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and other state officials, saying they could face federal prosecution — including “seditious conspiracy” charges — if they interfere with ICE operations.
“It doesn’t only apply to Gov. Pritzker,” Miller said. “It applies to ANY state official, local official, anybody operating in an official capacity who conspires or engages in activity that unlawfully impedes federal law enforcement conducting their duties.”
The senior White House official outlined a range of potential criminal offenses for officials who attempt to obstruct federal immigration enforcement, including obstruction of justice, harboring illegal aliens, and impeding the enforcement of immigration laws.
“As you get up the scale of behavior, you obviously get into seditious conspiracy charges, depending on the conduct, and many other offenses,” Miller said.
“If you engage in a criminal conspiracy to obstruct the enforcement of federal immigration laws or to unlawfully order your own police officers or your own officials to interfere with ICE officers, or even to arrest ICE officers, you’re engaged in criminal activity.”
Miller reminded local leaders that ICE agents are shielded by federal immunity when carrying out lawful duties.
“To all ICE officers, you have federal IMMUNITY in the conduct of your duties,” Miller said. “Anybody who lays a hand on you or tries to stop you or obstruct you is committing a FELONY.”
He added, “If officials cross that line into obstruction, into criminal conspiracy against the United States or against ICE officers, then they will face JUSTICE.”
Under federal law, seditious conspiracy carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison.
Miller’s comments come amid escalating tension between the White House and Pritzker, who has worked to establish Illinois as a sanctuary state.
The governor recently signed an executive order creating the Illinois Accountability Commission — a panel tasked with tracking what he called “unlawful” acts by ICE agents and recommending ways to hold them accountable.
Pritzker has also drawn sharp criticism for comparing President Trump and ICE operations to Nazi Germany.
“They’re literally going after Black and Brown people because of the color of their skin,” Pritzker falsely claimed on Fox News. “We want the bad guys off the streets. What we don’t want is for people to get racially profiled. That’s what’s happening right now.”
He accused ICE of routinely engaging in misconduct and defended his comparisons to authoritarian regimes.
“I’m talking about what they were doing, taking away people’s rights, arresting people, asking them for papers,” Pritzker said. “Early on in an authoritarian regime, wherever it is in the world throughout history, this is what happens. It’s the beginning of something very bad for a country, especially a constitutional republic.”
Miller dismissed Pritzker’s rhetoric as political grandstanding and warned that the administration will not tolerate any interference with federal law enforcement.
“Keep your citizens safe,” Miller said. “Stop giving cover to criminals and stop obstructing ICE officers who are simply doing their jobs.”
