Jeanne Ives, former Illinois State Representative and founder of Breakthrough Ideas, said on X that Illinois’ sanctuary policies under Gov. JB Pritzker shielded a criminal noncitizen whose actions led to Katie Abraham’s death.
“Katie Abraham is dead because Pritzker’s sanctuary policy protected her criminal illegal killer,” said Jeanne M Ives, State Repesentative.
In Urbana, Illinois, 29-year-old Julio Cucul-Bol was sentenced to 30 years in prison after accepting a plea deal related to a January 2025 hit-and-run incident that killed Katie Abraham, 20, and Chloe Polzin, 21. According to authorities, Cucul-Bol, originally from Guatemala, fled the scene and was later convicted of aggravated driving under the influence (DUI) involving death and leaving the scene. Investigators also linked him to the use of fraudulent identification documents.
According to state policy, Illinois’ TRUST Act limits how local and state law enforcement can participate in federal civil immigration enforcement. This includes prohibiting officers from holding individuals on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainers or administrative warrants without a judge’s approval. Guidance issued by the attorney general in June 2025 reaffirmed this restriction while emphasizing that police may continue to act within their jurisdiction to address public safety concerns.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) publicly cited the Urbana case while discussing immigration enforcement efforts in the Chicago area. DHS described Cucul-Bol as a repeat offender and linked the crash to its broader push to prioritize what it calls the “worst of the worst” cases. The department used the incident to argue that limited cooperation in sanctuary jurisdictions can hinder federal enforcement, pointing to the fatal hit-and-run as an example.
Ives served three terms in the Illinois House from 2013 to 2019 before running for governor in 2018 and Congress in 2020. A West Point graduate and former Army officer, she leads Breakthrough Ideas and hosts a policy radio show in Chicago. Her background positions her as a prominent conservative voice on immigration, public safety, and state policy debates within Illinois.
