Illinois Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker told reporters on Thursday he is asking Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to put enforcement on hold for Halloween.

Pritzker said, "I've sent a letter to Kristi Noem and to the Department of Homeland Security leadership asking them to pause all of their federal agent operations for the entirety of the Halloween weekend."

The governor said it's the right thing to do.

"I'm asking for basic human decency," he said. "I think their response will be revealing. They've disrupted everything for more than two months already. Give the children and the families of Illinois a break."

He said that his request is a challenge to President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Noem. "To Donald Trump and Kristi Noem, show us this is about something other than you just causing mayhem on our streets and visiting cruelty upon our people," Pritzker said.

Pritzker, a vocal critic of ICE enforcement, said he'd be willing to compromise in some fashion to work with ICE. "And after Halloween," he noted, "if you want to actually go after the worst of the worst, work with our local law enforcement to help us go after violent criminals."

He also called out U.S. Customs and Border Protection chief Greg Bovino, saying, "Your operation has sown fear and division and chaos among law-abiding residents in our communities. If you are unwilling to cease operations and leave our city, can we at least agree that our children should not be victims, especially on Halloween?"

Pritzker claimed there must be some common ground. "Can we agree that there is no imminent threat that should disrupt their holiday?" he said.

"No child in America," Pritzker said, "should have to go trick or treating in fear that they might be confronted with armed federal agents and have to inhale tear gas."

ICE has intensified enforcement operations around Chicago under "Operation Midway Blitz," using Naval Station Great Lakes as a staging site.

A Cook County judge barred ICE from making arrests at or near courthouses after complaints over tactics.

Chicago officials are creating "ICE-free zones" in response, while immigrant rights groups condemn the raids as disruptive and politically motivated.

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