Rock Island Today

Judge Joe McGraw, a contender for the 17th Congressional District, has criticized incumbent Eric Sorensen and President Joe Biden for what he perceives as their failure to secure the southern border. McGraw contends that the surge of illegal immigrants and the influx of fentanyl into America, exacerbated by Sorensen and Biden’s leadership, are detrimental to local communities and overburdening social services.

“Eric Sorensen has repeatedly voted against protecting our southern border,” McGraw said on Facebook. “This crisis may begin hundreds of miles away, but the mass amounts of fentanyl pouring into America are killing our community members, and the migrant crisis landing in our towns further burdens our already overloaded social services system.”

“Sadly, with Eric Sorensen and Joe Biden in charge, there is no end in sight to this disaster.”

McGraw's comments followed an incident where a Boeing 777 carrying 350 migrants landed in Rockford, Illinois, and these passengers were transferred to Chicago's West Loop, Texas Department of Emergency Management organized eight buses for the passengers. Escorted by Winnebago County sheriff’s deputies, the buses headed towards the McHenry County line. From there, migrants were dispersed to suburbs en route to Chicago, utilizing various transportation methods, according to Rockford Sun. Mayor Brandon Johnson criticized the coordination issues, as 572 migrants awaited placement in one of Chicago’s 27 migrant shelters, prompting calls for increased federal assistance in addressing the crisis.

Former prosecutor, private attorney, and retired Circuit Court Judge McGraw announced his candidacy for the 17th Congressional District in mid-October. His campaign aims to challenge incumbent U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen (D-Ill.), who narrowly won the district in 2022. According to Pantagraph, McGraw's campaign is grounded in law-and-order principles, using his judicial background to address urban crime and immigration. His policy positions include support for a border wall, comprehensive immigration reform, and state regulation over federal involvement in abortion issues.

The 17th Congressional District encompasses several counties including Carroll, Fulton, Henry, Knox, McDonough, Mercer, McLean, Peoria, Rock Island, Stephenson, Tazewell, Warren, Whiteside and Winnebago. The district is currently represented by Congressman Eric Sorensen (D-Ill.). Sorensen assumed office last year and is seeking re-election to the U.S. House. As of now, he is the only Democrat candidate for the 17th District according to Ballotpedia.