Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) issued the following statement Monday, July 20 on reports that the Donald Trump administration is preparing to deploy 150 federal agents to Illinois, without sharing information about their mission or scope of duty:
“Once again, the Trump administration demonstrates its disdain for the protections of the U.S. Constitution and the First Amendment right to peaceful assembly. We live in a democracy, not a banana republic. I will not tolerate assaults on the freedom of Americans, especially those in Illinois, as part of president Trump’s political games to deflect from his failures in managing the coronavirus crisis. In the coming days, I will work with my House colleagues to seek answers from the Department of Homeland Security about the use of these federal agents and the abuses of power intended to inflame tensions in our communities.”
—Office of Bill Foster (IL-11)