Illinois Governor on his migrant past: 'We should be proud and honor that'

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has reaffirmed his stance on the significance of immigrant roots in American identity, particularly during Immigrant Heritage Month. He stressed the need to value and honor the legacy that foreigners bring to the nation's development.

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This is a country of immigrants, and we should always be proud and honor that.

Pritzker shared his personal family history, noting that his ancestors escaped pogroms in Ukraine. "This nation accepted us as refugees with nothing except the shirts on our backs," he stated, highlighting the opportunities his family found in the U.S. He described his ancestors' arrival as a flight from religious persecution, emphasizing their fortune in seeking a new life in America.

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My family escaped Ukraine from the pogroms. This nation accepted us as refugees with nothing except the shirts on our backs.

"The U.S. welcomed my family. We had nothing and offered nothing, except hard work, the desire to progress, the desire to be free and to live in a safe environment," Pritzker declared. He views defending immigrants as a personal and social obligation, noting that many attendees at his public events are immigrants or their direct descendants.

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The U.S. welcomed my family. we had nothing and offered nothing, save hard work, the desire to progress, the desire to be free and to live in a safe environment.

Furthermore, the governor criticized the immigration policies of the Trump administration. "We should not have our armed forces, our federal government agencies arresting people because they look different, because they speak with an accent or another language," he said. Pritzker believes such measures do not represent the true character of the United States.

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We should not have our armed forces, our federal government agencies arresting people because they look different, because they speak with an accent or another language.