Noem Denies Pritzker's Request To Pause Immigration Enforcement For Halloween: Reports

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem denied Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker's request for Border Patrol agents to pause immigration operations for three days to allow children to safely celebrate Halloween, according to several reports.

Pritzker requested that enforcement of immigration operations be halted from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2 "in and around homes, schools, hospitals, parks, houses of worship, and other community gatherings where Halloween celebrations are taking place," NBC Chicago reported.

"Illinois families deserve to spend Halloween weekend without fear," the governor wrote in the letter "respectfully requesting" the pause, per a report from the Chicago Sun-Times. "No child should be forced to inhale tear gas or other chemical agents while trick or treating in their own neighborhood."

The letter was addressed to U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Todd M. Lyons, and Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection Rodney S. Scott.

Pritzker said his request is "based on a desire to protect communities throughout Chicago and also upon the long-standing guidance from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security regarding enforcement actions at sensitive locations, which was unfortunately rescinded under this administration," the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

RELATED: Border Patrol Disrupts Children's Halloween Parade As Clashes Continue: Reports

Speaking in northwest Indiana Thursday, Noem accused Pritzker of failing to recognize the importance of ICE's work, according to ABC7 News.

"We're absolutely not willing to put on pause any work that we will do to keep communities safe," Noem said, per a report from ABC7 News. "The fact that Governor Pritzker is asking for that is shameful, and I think unfortunate that he doesn't recognize how important the work is that we do to make sure that we are bringing criminals to justice and bringing them off our streets."

Also in response to Pritzker's letter, Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said: "Once again Governor Pritzker is going out of his way to smear the law enforcement officers of DHS, who are attempting to clean up the rampant crime he facilitated. ... Those who are here legally and are not breaking other laws have nothing to fear. Elected officials choosing to fearmonger by distorting reality are doing a great disservice to our country and are responsible for the nearly 1,000% increase in assaults and 8,000% increase in violent threats against ICE officers."

Halloween falls about a week after Border Patrol disrupted a children's celebratory parade Oct. 25 in Chicago's Old Irving Park neighborhood, an incident Pritzker cited in his letter, according to a report from the Chicago Sun-Times. Agents deployed tear gas without warning, ABC News reported, citing people in the neighborhood and adding that the parade was moved to a nearby school.

The Department of Homeland Security launched the immigration enforcement known as "Operation Midway Blitz" in September. The operation targets what the agency called "criminal illegal aliens" in Chicago and the rest of the state.