The governor of Illinois seems to think everything in Chicago is perfectly fine. He’s often seen out there campaigning and painting a rosy picture of a city that apparently only exists in his imagination. He insists there’s no crime in Chicago, that it’s a wonderful place to live, and most importantly, he absolutely doesn’t need any help from President Trump. But perhaps he should hop out of his fantasy bubble and take a walk through the streets of Chicago with its residents who might have a slightly different opinion. After all, numbers don’t lie, and the statistics are grim.
For thirteen years straight, Chicago has topped the charts in the less-than-desirable category of having the most murders of any U.S. city. Unsurprisingly, for seven years, it’s also held onto the highest murder rate among U.S. cities with over a million people. This isn’t a petty record but a deeply troubling sign of Governor Pritzker’s leadership. In 2024, Chicago’s murder rate per capita was a staggering three times higher than that of Los Angeles and nearly five times more than New York City. In fact, its murder rate was more than double that of Islamabad and about fifteen times more than Delhi. That’s some serious international notoriety that Chicago could certainly do without.
This year alone, Chicago has had a whopping 147,899 reported crimes since January 1st. Out of this avalanche of criminal activity, only 16% have led to arrests. Even to someone who doesn’t exactly excel in math, it’s clear that these odds aren’t inspiring much confidence in public safety. As if that weren’t enough, Chicago is also leading when it comes to recovering illegal guns—more than New York City and Los Angeles combined. Last year, the number of car thefts in Chicago more than doubled compared to 2021. And as terrible as these figures seem, there are questions about the accuracy of Chicago’s homicide data reporting. So, it’s possible the reality is even worse.
Governor Pritzker ought to set aside his political bravado and address the cries for help coming from his own backyard. It’s high time he acknowledges the sad state of affairs in Chicago, rather than pretending it’s just sunshine and rainbows. Sometimes the help you need isn’t in the mirror, especially when the mirror keeps reflecting the same old denial. Picking up the phone to call President Trump might be his best move yet because it’s evident that Chicago could use a leader who genuinely wants to make the city safer for its residents.
The residents of Chicago deserve better. Instead of ingratiating himself as the dance captain of delusion, Governor Pritzker could take real steps to ensure law and order in the city. It’s not about political games; it’s about protecting the people and giving them the peace of mind they need. Everyone hopes he’ll snap out of his fantasy soon enough to realize that the safety of Chicago’s citizens is more important than playing politics.
