Pretzker moves to Boycott El Salvador for helping Trump’s Decourt force suspicions of MS-13 gang members
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker ordered the state to consider investment and business with El Salvador.
In a statement, the Democratic governor said the move corresponded to the case of Kilmer Abrego Garcia, a member of the MS-13 gang, who has connections with rebellion against the administration’s court orders and trafficking in custody in El Salvador.
“The US Constitution guarantees a legitimate process. We have witnessed Donald Trump erode basic constitutional rights in real time and must fight to restore the balance of power,” Pretzker said in a statement. “Illinois will stand up for the rule of law and stop everything in our power (stop the Trump administration from tearing our most fundamental rights.”
Fox News Digital reached the White House for comment.
Four more Dems travel to El Salvador and seek Abrego Garcia’s return to us
Illinois Gov. JB Pretzker announced several moves on Wednesday aimed at a possible boycott of El Salvador. (Vincent Alban/Getty Images)
Pretzker said the Illinois Investment Commission, the State University Retirement System and the Teacher Retirement System require the “identification of fund investments” that are fully or partially controlled, owned or controlled by the Salvadoran government or have ties to businesses in El Salvadoran.
He also directed the Illinois Central Administration of Management Services (CMS) to identify state contracts awarded to businesses linked to the Latin American country.
The Illinois Department of Commercial and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) Department of Trade and Investment is ordered to analyze trade between Illinois and El Salvador, including the size and nature of the imports, as well as the range of goods produced in El Salvador in the supply chain of products manufactured in Illinois.
Chris Van Hollen tells Kilmer Garcia (Reuters)
The orders for Pretzker came as at least five Democrats traveled to El Salvador with the intention of meeting Abrego Garcia. Four of them were denied a meeting by the Salvador government.
Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) met him in the legal battle over his return.
The Trump administration previously admitted to mistakenly deporting Abrego Garcia, an illegal immigrant with ties to MS-13 who lived in Maryland, but has since said he will not bring him home.
The Supreme Court ordered the administration to “promote” Abrego Garcia’s return to the United States, but El Salvador said he was responsible for his return.
El Salvador Presidents Donald Trump and Naive Buquel shake hands on Monday, April 14, 2025 during a meeting at the White House Oval Office in Washington, D.C. (Ken Cedeno/Upi/Bloomberg Getty Images)
Salvador President Naibe Buquer said he would not return him. Democrats have argued that Abrego Garcia is being denied the legitimate procedure, which the Trump administration has denied.
Ministry of Justice Last week, Abrego Garcia’s wife, Jennifer Vasquez, released a document detailing allegations of domestic violence involving Jennifer Vasquez, filed in court in 2021.
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Additionally, the 2022 Homeland Security Investigation Report, obtained by Fox News, alleges that Abrego Garcia is suspected of participating in labor and human trafficking. The report said Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers attracted Abrego Garcia after a turn in 2022. Patrol officers found eight individuals in the car along with Abrego Garcia, who had just started driving three days ago.
A Department of Homeland Security source confirmed with Fox News Digital that the SUV Abrego Garcia, which was driven by SUV Abrego Garcia, belonged to the confessional human smuggler.
Danielle Wallace, Peter Pinedo and Cameron Arcand of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.