Latest news with #AngelFamilies
Fox News
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Illinois Gov. Pritzker accused of 'insulting' ICE with sanctuary policies as Noem, Angel families protest
Border czar Tom Homan slammed Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker for the state's sanctuary policies protecting illegal immigrants, arguing he has lied on the issue after Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem protested alongside Angel families demanding change. Homan accused Pritzker of lying about the state's policies addressing illegal immigration during "Fox & Friends," alleging officials in Chicago – a migrant hotbed – refuse to work with federal officials to get dangerous criminals off the streets. "He continues to lie about sanctuary city status in the state, in Chicago especially," Homan told Lawrence Jones on Thursday. "One of the first places I went to after President Trump took the oath of office was Chicago. And the first day, we arrested like nine TdA members." "We arrested two illegal aliens that were convicted of murder, that were walking the streets," he added. "We arrested, I think, six or seven child predators, child rapists in Chicago, and these people are all walking the street because… Cook County jail, one of the biggest jails in the nation, won't accept ICE detainers. They won't work with ICE." Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem led a press conference alongside Angel families on Wednesday near the governor's mansion to spotlight the sanctuary status of the state, and to call on the potential presidential candidate to "abandon" the "dangerous" approach. She held the presser at the site where Emma Shafer, 24, was stabbed to death by Grabriel Calixto Pichardo, 25, an illegal migrant who is wanted on three first-degree murder charges and an aggravated domestic battery charge. Pichardo was reportedly dating Shafer at the time of the murder. Noem was also joined by the family members of Denny McCann and Jimmy Walden, who both lost their lives to illegal migrant crime. "I'm calling on Governor Pritzker and all the other leaders of this state to abandon their dangerous sanctuary policies," Noem said. "People who support sanctuary policies talk about love and compassion. Well, where's the compassion for the families that stand behind me?" "I just call on Governor Pritzker to be a true governor and stand by the federal laws and deport every one of them, every one," an Angel family member said. "I don't care if they're 2 or 20 or 80, send them back." Pritzker issued a statement in response to the press conference, accusing the Trump administration of violating the Constitutional right of due process. "Unlike Donald Trump and Kristi Noem, Illinois follows the law," he said. "The Trump Administration is violating the United States Constitution, denying people due process, and disappearing law-abiding neighbors - including children who are U.S. citizens. Yet, they are taking no real action to promote public safety and deport violent criminals within the clear and defined legal process." Homan pushed back on Pritzker's claims, calling his remarks "insulting" to the men and women who work to reduce illegal immigration and lock up violent criminals. "It's insulting to the men and women of ICE, insulting to men and women of the Board Patrol," Homan said. "President Trump's been clear from day one. We're going to concentrate on public safety threats and national security threats. I just listed to you, in one day, what we took off the streets of Chicago." "I'm sick and tired of hearing about deporting U.S. citizen children," he continued. "We deported illegal aliens who had a U.S. citizen child, that requested the child go with her. The mother wanted her child to go with her. So we did as the mother wished. That's parenting 101. If we wouldn't have done it, then the story would be we're separating families. We're trying to keep families together."
ABC News
23-04-2025
- General
- ABC News
Grief camp connecting kids who know the pain of losing a parent or sibling
A beachside camp surrounded by friends would be a typical teenager's dream. But when Alexis Versaci's mother told her she'd be driving eight hours to attend a special camp for grieving children, the 14-year-old was filled with dread. "My dad passed away [when I was] 10," she said. "He passed away in a truck accident in Pilbara … that's why I'm here, I guess." Lisa Versaci (right) drove her three daughters, including Alexis (pictured), eight hours to attend the camp. ( ABC Wide Bay: Lucy Loram ) After her husband died, Lisa Versaci searched tirelessly for a program to connect her three daughters with other grieving kids in their hometown of Mackay in North Queensland. The search finally ended when she stumbled upon a social media post about a "grief camp" in the southern coastal city of Hervey Bay, about 700 kilometres away. "When I saw it, I was like, 'Yes, this is what my girls need', and I actually wish I had known of this years ago when it all started for us," Ms Versaci said. Ms Versaci would like to see more programs for children who have lost a parent in regional Queensland. ( ABC Wide Bay: Lucy Loram ) Losing a parent Alexis, who attended the camp with her two teenage sisters, said her grief had felt isolating, as few of her peers were able to relate to the pain of losing a parent. "It's something that just kind of hits you very hard, and as someone who was 10, I didn't really know what I was supposed to do, how I was supposed to feel," she said. Angelo Versaci (third from left) died in a trucking incident in Western Australia in 2021. ( Supplied: Lisa Versaci ) That was until she spent four days surrounded by 25 kids from around the state who were also grieving the loss of a parent or sibling. "I've made lots of friends here, and I feel like the people that I've made connections with here understand what I'm going through and they are just free to talk about it," Alexis said. Inside grief camp The organiser of Hervey Bay's inaugural Grief Camp — a collaboration between charities Rally for a Cause and Angel Families — said it was a passion project 12 months in the making. "We know that one in 20 Australian kids are going to experience the loss of a sibling or a parent, so for us, that's too big of a number to not do something," said Jess Lane from Angel Families. About 25 children attended the inaugural camp in Hervey Bay. ( Supplied: Jess Lane ) Ms Lane said during the four-day camp the youths bonded over a range of activities, including outdoor adventures and a candlelit vigil for their loved ones. She said they arrived at the camp with their individual experiences of loss but left with shared memories and support. "It's been a balance of grief tending exercises and adventure-based activities … that really cemented the opportunities for those guys to connect on a deeper level," Ms Lane said. Organisers say they plan to make the camp an annual event. ( Supplied: Jess Lane ) An opportunity to connect Carolyn Johns, a child bereavement counsellor with the National Centre for Childhood Grief (NCCG), said camp environments could be valuable for grieving children. "Camps and groups for bereaved children provide a wonderful opportunity for them to connect with others in a relaxed, safe way," Ms Johns said. " I have seen the inspiring transformation that occurs … a transformation in terms of the child's confidence, social integration, and ability to share stories about their parent or parents who have died. " Ms Johns said the NCCG also offered bespoke weekend camps for children with family members that had died. The four-day camp offered activities like paintball, kayaking and minigolf. ( Supplied: Jess Lane ) While the Versacis hold out hope that a similar service will be established in Mackay, they are planning to return to Hervey Bay next year. "The girls 100 per cent [will be coming back], to the point where I think they want to come back as volunteers at some point, which will be so beautiful … I'm so, so proud," Ms Versaci said. ABC Wide Bay — local news in your inbox Get our local newsletter, delivered free each Thursday Your information is being handled in accordance with the Email address Subscribe
