Podcast Summary:

The New Yorker Radio Hour
Episode: What Resistance Means to Governor J. B. Pritzker
Date: November 7, 2025
Host: David Remnick (WNYC Studios/The New Yorker)
Guests: Governor J. B. Pritzker, Peter Slevin

Overview of Episode

This episode examines Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker’s combative approach to resisting federal crackdowns in Chicago and the broader Midwest under Donald Trump’s administration. The discussion reveals how local governments, especially in Democratic strongholds, contend with aggressive immigration enforcement, federal raids, and what Pritzker calls unconstitutional and illegal federal overreach. The episode situates these events within a larger story of political polarization, governmental authority, and the 2028 presidential election landscape.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Changing Political Climate for Democrats ([01:20]–[02:48])

• David Remnick introduces the episode by reflecting on the recent Democratic resurgence and the complexities of opposing Trump’s federal maneuvers, anchoring the narrative with Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker as a case study.

• Remnick calls attention to Democrats’ need for clear messaging and strong leadership in an era of deep polarization.

2. Federal Raids in Chicago: On-the-Ground Reality ([02:48]–[06:02])

• Pritzker denounces recent aggressive ICE and Border Patrol activity in Chicago and its suburbs, describing abuses of power, lack of accountability, and the targeting of entire communities—including U.S. citizens.

  "They are abusing people on the ground here. They're overstepping the boundaries of what civilian law enforcement are supposed to be doing. No one is holding them accountable."
  —Gov. J.B. Pritzker [02:48]

• Peter Slevin details intense federal sweeps, likening them to paramilitary actions with agents in camouflage conducting widespread detentions.

• The current wave is more intense than similar past actions in Los Angeles.

3. Pritzker’s Broader Critique of Trump’s Policy ([04:36]–[05:26])

• Pritzker takes on Trump’s economic and foreign policy as well, criticizing tariffs and accusing him of abandoning American farmers.

  "So whatever happened to America First? … Instead of supporting Illinois farmers, Donald Trump is supporting Argentine farmers."
  —Gov. J.B. Pritzker [05:26]

4. Constitutional and Civil Rights Concerns ([06:02]–[09:46])

• Pritzker frames federal actions as an "invasion," citing illegal and unconstitutional racial profiling and the targeting of U.S. citizens based on appearance.

  "Racial profiling is unconstitutional. … It's not just they're not grabbing people that they know to be undocumented. … And they're grabbing these people, they're harassing them, they're abusing them. … This is not the country that any of us thought that we were, you know, going to have in 2025."
  —Gov. J.B. Pritzker [08:48]

• Judge Sarah Ellis’s recent skepticism and court intervention is highlighted, especially the issue of children being tear-gassed during Halloween celebrations.

  "These kids, you can imagine their sense of safety was shattered on Saturday."
  —Judge Ellis (quoted by Peter Slevin) [09:46]

5. Building a Defense: Documentation and Legal Challenges ([10:42]–[13:24])

• Pritzker urges citizens to record all federal activities as evidence for court challenges and for a future "accountability commission."

• Community resistance includes the use of whistles to warn about ICE presence—an example of grassroots defense.

  "If ICE knows that they're being filmed, they might not perpetrate the kinds of activities that they are now... We're capturing evidence so that we can take them to court."
  —Gov. J.B. Pritzker [06:02]

• The governor warns of dangers if conflicts escalate between federal and local law enforcement.

  "What do you do if you're a local law enforcement official... when someone right in front of you is breaking the law? … I think there could be something really dangerous and terrible that could happen."
  —Gov. J.B. Pritzker [13:57]

6. Misinformation and Competing Narratives ([13:24]–[16:53])

• The administration portrays Chicago as chaotic, using images and questionable videos in social media to justify federal intervention.

• Pritzker rebuts these claims, stating that the information being spread is often disinformation or outright fabrications.

  "The only thing that we can do is have everybody video everything because it's easy to go produce a video that produces disinformation..."
  —Gov. J.B. Pritzker [13:57]

• The creation of a commission to document abuses serves not only legal but also narrative purposes.

• Specific incidents described include a night raid on a south Chicago building using helicopters and mass detentions, further traumatizing communities.

7. Crime in Chicago: Data vs. Political Rhetoric ([16:53]–[19:36])

• While Trump justifies his actions by citing violent crime in Chicago, Pritzker notes that violent crime and homicide rates are at their lowest since 1965, and credits state efforts such as increased police recruitment and community violence interruption programs.

  "Violent crime is at a low that we haven't seen since 1965. … And it's been. Because at least I have invested in state law enforcement."
  —Gov. J.B. Pritzker [17:25]

• Pritzker accuses Trump of undermining crime-fighting efforts by reallocating federal agents to immigration enforcement rather than supporting local law enforcement.

  "He's taking money away from police. ... He's creating mayhem on the ground because ... he wants troops on the ground in American cities."
  —Gov. J.B. Pritzker [17:25]

8. Political Peril: Personal Risks for Pritzker ([19:36]–[20:42])

• Trump allies call for Pritzker’s imprisonment, accusing him of violating his oath; Pritzker dismisses this as political retaliation.

  "Guess what tyrants do when they have political opponents? They try to jail them."
  —Gov. J.B. Pritzker [19:52]

9. Limits of State Power Against Federal Actions ([24:29]–[25:37])

• Peter Slevin notes that Governor Pritzker has little formal authority to stop federal agents but has sought legal recourse, including filing lawsuits to block National Guard deployment—now pending before the Supreme Court.

  "The fact is, federal officers are in Chicago and they're allowed to be here. There's very little the governor himself can do on that front."
  —Peter Slevin [24:47]

• Judge Sarah Ellis and other district judges have sided with the state on several issues, ordering changes in detention conditions and use of force, body cams, and halting mistreatment of protesters.

  "Judge Ellis has required that ICE and CBP have to wear body cams now so that they can prove whether something happened or didn't the way they claim..."
  —Gov. J.B. Pritzker [13:57]

10. Racial Profiling and the Supreme Court ([27:29]–[28:24])

• The Supreme Court, via the "shadow docket," appears to allow forms of racial profiling, leaving state and lower court pushback as the main line of defense.

  "Justice Kavanaugh saying forms of racial profiling are acceptable ... If they have no reason to have been picked up, they'll be released rather quickly."
  —Peter Slevin [27:44]

11. Shifts in Policing Rhetoric ([28:24]–[29:34])

• Pritzker’s "pro-cop" stance is seen as a reaction against the "defund the police" rhetoric that previously dominated Democratic messaging, reflecting evolving strategies in addressing crime and public safety.

  "I think it is a response to the idea of defunding the police, which, as we know, was rarely about actually taking all the money away..."
  —Peter Slevin [28:44]

12. Fears of Escalation and Confrontation ([29:34]–[30:29])

• While open conflict between Chicago police and federal agents is feared, it hasn’t materialized yet, but recent charges against local politicians and continued clampdowns sustain tensions.

  "Pritzker has been very clear that those officers are there to create a safe space ... and yet at the same time... prevent the protesters from attacking in any way those federal agents."
  —Peter Slevin [29:45]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "If ICE knows that they're being filmed, they might not perpetrate the kinds of activities that they are now, which are so offensive and illegal in many cases." —Governor J.B. Pritzker [06:02]

• "Racial profiling is unconstitutional... This is not the country that any of us thought that we were ... going to have in 2025." —Governor J.B. Pritzker [08:48]

• "Judge Ellis has required that ICE and CBP have to wear body cams now..." —Governor J.B. Pritzker [13:57]

• "There's absolutely no reason to go after the governor of California, the mayor of Chicago, the governor of Illinois... And guess what tyrants do when they have political opponents? They try to jail them." —Governor J.B. Pritzker [19:52]

• "There's very little the governor himself can do on that front." —Peter Slevin [24:47]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Democratic Party’s Dilemma & Intro to Pritzker: [01:20]–[02:48]
• ICE Raids and State Response: [02:48]–[05:26]
• Interview with Gov. Pritzker – Federal Raids & Rights: [05:49]–[09:46]
• Why Pritzker Is Calling It an Invasion: [08:35]–[09:46]
• Legal Challenges & Use of Evidence: [10:42]–[13:24]
• Grassroots Resistance (Whistles, Community Vigilance): [10:42]–[13:24]
• Pritzker on Crime Statistics and Trump’s Motives: [16:53]–[19:36]
• Direct Threats to Pritzker/Political Retaliation: [19:36]–[20:42]
• Limits on Gubernatorial Power/Legal Recourse: [24:29]–[25:37]
• Federal Court & Judge Ellis's Role: [25:49]–[27:29]
• Supreme Court & Racial Profiling: [27:29]–[28:24]
• Shifts in Policing Policy/Rhetoric: [28:24]–[29:34]

Conclusion

This episode provides a vivid, sometimes chilling look at the clash between state-level resistance and federal authority in Trump-era America. Governor Pritzker’s testimony and Peter Slevin’s on-the-ground reporting illuminate a Chicago caught in the crosshairs of national conflict—with issues of race, civil rights, and local sovereignty at the fore. The episode highlights both the power and the limitations of state resistance, the ongoing battle over public narrative, and the human cost of federal-local confrontations in 2025.