The City of Chicago continues to hold the grim title of “Murder Capital of the United States.” According to 2024 data from the nation’s 75 largest cities, Chicago ranks number one in total homicides, with 573 murders. Shockingly, this marks the 13th consecutive year that Chicago has led the country in killings.
Just over Labor Day weekend alone, more than 50 people were shot, and at least seven were killed. These headlines increasingly resemble dispatches from a war zone. The numbers do not reflect isolated tragedies. This is Chicago’s new normal.
And it’s not just Chicago. Rockford, which embraces the same anti-police and sanctuary city policies as Governor Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, faces its own violent crime epidemic. According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program, Rockford ranks 4th in the nation for violent crime per capita among cities with populations over 10,000. It recorded an estimated 1,149 violent incidents per 100,000 residents, with only Chicago Heights, Danville, and Peoria faring worse.
We also cannot forget the tragic and preventable death of Darcy Brunner, a Freeport resident killed in a car crash by an illegal immigrant with multiple felony DUIs and a felony assault conviction. After the incident, we learned that ICE had attempted to deport the driver, Ico-Choc, seven times, but each request was ignored due to restrictions under the TRUST Act, legislation that Governor Pritzker and Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara continue to support.
It begs two questions: Why won’t Governor Pritzker, Mayor Johnson, and other Democrat leaders use every tool at their disposal to make Chicago and other large Illinois cities safe again? Why do they refuse to welcome assistance from the National Guard, or cooperate with federal authorities to restore law and order?
In my mind, the answer is simple: These radical leaders prioritize woke ideology over public safety. They oppose proven solutions because they know they will work. They fear that decisive action might validate the policies of President Donald Trump, even if it means saving innocent lives.
Meanwhile, families live in fear. Violent crime dominates weekends. Businesses are shuttering early or closing entirely. Yet Democrat leaders in Chicago and other large cities and Democrat lawmakers in Springfield continue to weaken deterrents, shield criminals, and undermine law enforcement. They’ve eliminated cash bail, softened criminal penalties, and implemented a revolving-door justice system that allows repeat offenders to often walk free within hours of an arrest.
The current policies don’t protect the public, they endanger it. They favor criminals over victims, and that must change.
Chicago police are frustrated, understaffed, and handcuffed by political interference. Cities like Chicago and Rockford must empower law enforcement, not vilify it. They must utilize every available resource—local, state, federal, and yes, even the National Guard, if necessary.
Public safety should be every elected official’s top priority because families deserve security, not excuses. Victims deserve justice, not bureaucratic neglect. Communities deserve peace, not danger and chaos.
With strong leadership, bold action, and real support for law enforcement, Illinois can reclaim its streets and restore law and order. Because without safety, there is no justice. Without safety, there is no freedom.
