Midterms in Illinois: the Senate candidate who supports abolishing ICE and proposes a path to citizenship for dreamers

Midterms in Illinois: The Senate candidate who supports abolishing ICE and proposes a path to citizenship for dreamers Juliana Stratton, vice-governor, won the primaries with an agenda marked by immigration issues - 3 minutes reading The vice-governor of Illinois, Juliana Stratton, seeks to reach the U.S. Senate with an agenda that includes the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the defense of access to healthcare, and a path to citizenship for dreamers and DACA beneficiaries. After winning the Democratic primaries, the candidate faces Republican Don Tracy on November 3rd. Elections in Illinois: Juliana Stratton proposes abolishing ICE The main novelty of Stratton's candidacy is that she maintains that ICE must disappear as an agency, rather than just reforming its procedures. The candidate is the vice-governor of JB Pritzker. This proposal distinguished her from her rivals during the Democratic primaries and still occupies a central place in her electoral speech, along with opposition to the policies of President Donald Trump and the search for solutions for communities affected by immigration operations. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Stratton won the primaries against Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi and Representative Robin Kelly, in a competition that included strong differences on immigration, political financing, and the strategy the Democratic Party should adopt against the federal government. Why Stratton maintains that ICE must disappear During the January 2026 debate, held at the University of Chicago, Stratton defended her proposal amid a discussion about the actions of federal immigration agents and the deaths from shooting by immigration agents of two U.S. citizens in Minnesota. On that occasion, the vice-governor argued that the problem could not be resolved solely through internal changes within the agency. According to coverage published by the Chicago Tribune, Stratton stated: "I want to abolish ICE because this agency cannot be reformed. We are seeing what is happening and it doesn't matter who it is from. ICE must be abolished and we have to move this country forward and ensure our communities are safe." While Stratton defended the elimination of the agency, Krishnamoorthi proposed ending what he called "Trump's ICE," suspending new funds for immigration operations, and establishing independent oversight through an inspector general. Kelly, for her part, proposed dismantling the agency and moving towards a structure that could restore public trust. Dreamers: the path to citizenship Stratton wants to promote in the Senate Stratton also proposes resuming a legislative initiative she considers pending: establishing a path to citizenship for dreamers and DACA beneficiaries. Her proposal is linked to the work developed over years by Democratic Senator Dick Durbin, who will leave his seat after announcing his retirement. Dreamers are young immigrants who arrived in the United States during their childhood and whose immigration status was the subject of political and legislative debate. DACA is the program that offers certain protections against deportation and work authorization to those who meet its requirements. However, by itself does not equate to permanent residency nor grant U.S. citizenship. In this context, Stratton expressed her intention to continue efforts for these people to be able to access a permanent immigration status through a legislative path. - 1 - 2 What to watch on Netflix: the best movies and series to enjoy this cloudy and cool weekend - 3 Police dressed as builders and gardeners to dismantle a drug operation in Avellaneda: two arrested - 4 Psychology experts agree: people who criticize others are not looking for them to improve