Illinois Accountability Commission will document actions of federal agents

ILLINOIS (WCIA) — Governor JB Pritzker signed an executive order on Thursday forming a commission tasked with keeping track of the actions of federal law enforcement agents and recommending actions to hold them accountable amid the country’s immigration crackdown.

Executive Order 2025-06 establishes the Illinois Accountability Commission (IAC). According to a news release sent by Pritzker’s office, it’s an “independent board tasked with capturing and creating a public record of the conduct of federal law enforcement agents and recommending actions to hold the federal government accountable as they continue conducting military-style operations” throughout the state.

Pritzker said the commission will collect testimony, hold hearings and gather information. Then, their findings and recommendations will be reported to him. The report will also be made publicly available.

“The federal government is pushing the boundaries of their authority to terrorize our communities while disregarding all legal and moral accountability in the process. We will not meet intimidation with fear — we will meet it with truth,” Pritzker said in the release. “We will create a detailed record, and that record will reflect reality. ​Once this all ends, I believe there will be people of good faith who will review what the commission has recorded and will demand answers and accountability.” 

The commission will provide an initial status report to Pritzker outlining its findings by Jan. 31, 2026.

The full text of the executive order can be found here.

Up to nine people could be appointed by the Governor to serve on the commission. This includes:

• Judge Rubén Castillo
  • Served as Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois for 25 years and served as the Chief Judge for six of those years
• Patricia Brown Holmes
  • Former associate judge in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Assistant U.S. Attorney and Assistant State’s Attorney
• Aurora Austriaco
  • Commissioner for the Illinois Courts Commission
• Susan Gzesh
  • Instructional professor at University of Chicago, founding attorney of the Midwest Immigrant Rights Center
• Linda Xóchitl Tortolero
  • President and CEO of Latino Policy Forum, serves on the Women’s Advisory Council of the Mayor’s Office for Chicago and the Board of the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice
• Cindy Sam
  • Retired Commander at the Chicago Police Department

The Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR) will support the commission’s work.  

Anyone who witnesses or experiences concerning conduct by federal agents should visit the IAC website at ilac.Illinois.gov for more information about the commission’s work, hearing schedules, and other updates.