Illinois Democratic Governor Vows to do Everything He Can 'To Protect Our Undocumented Immigrants'

Thomas Homan, president-elect Donald Trump's new 'border czar,' had a message last week for Democratic governors who stated that they would protect immigrants in their states from mass deportations: get out of the way. "If you're not gonna help us, get the hell out of the way. Because we're going to do it," said Homan on Fox News Digital.

His comments took place after Democratic officials like Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, voiced their refusal to support deportations. Healey commented on MSNBC that "every tool in the tool box has got to be used to protect our citizens, to protect our residents and protect our states and to hold the line on democracy and the rule of law as a basic principle."

Another Democratic authority raised his voice against deportations this week as well, as Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker went on MSNBC and vowed to protect undocumented immigrants in his state:

"I am going to do everything that I can to protect our undocumented immigrants. They are residents of our state. And I also, obviously, need to make sure that whatever they are doing in our state, the federal government, that it is actually within federal law or state law for them to do it."

Pritzker did, however, concede that he would not be opposed to working hand-in-hand with the federal government to deport illegal immigrants in cases of specific crimes:

"I want to be clear that there are certain circumstances in which the federal government, state governments should work together to allow deportation. An example would be somebody who's been convicted of a violent crime. But they are talking about rounding up people who are law-abiding undocumented immigrants in this country, many of whom are working, paying taxes, not getting any benefits from those taxes, I might add"

Pritzker added that although he could not prohibit federal law enforcement from going into Illinois and conducting raids, he did feel that Trump's plan "looks like it may be unconstitutional," adding that there are attorney generals working on the issue within the courts.

Finally, he doubted the overall feasibility of the deportation plan:

"I think it would be very difficult for them to just spread out across the country. They don't have enough manpower within the Department of Homeland Security in order to carry that out."

It's not the first time that Pritzker has called out Trump after his victory. The day after the elections, the Illinois governor issued a stark warning to the President-elect, as Fox News reports:

"To anyone who intends to come take away the freedom and opportunity and dignity of Illinoisans: I would remind you that a happy warrior is still a warrior," he said. "You come for my people, you come through me"