Springfield, Illinois – Wednesday — Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is urging the U.S. State Department to immediately outline and implement evacuation plans for Americans stranded in the Middle East as the expanding war involving the United States, Israel and Iran disrupts air travel and closes regional airports.
In a March 4 letter addressed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar, Pritzker called for a public commitment to deploy charter flights, military aircraft, or both, to assist Americans seeking to leave the region.
“As Americans are stranded abroad, we all have a responsibility to do everything in our power to safely get them home,” Pritzker wrote, requesting a response within 24 hours that includes “clear guidance and detailed instructions to the public.”
The governor said Illinois officials and members of the state’s congressional delegation are receiving numerous requests for assistance from U.S. citizens facing limited commercial flight options and growing security concerns.
Among the actions requested, Pritzker urged the State Department to explore emergency charter contracts, issue step-by-step evacuation guidance, and identify temporary diplomatic posts where U.S. embassies have been attacked or rendered inoperable.
In a social media post, Pritzker said the federal government “must immediately provide clear evacuation guidance and plans to leave the region.”
The State Department has not yet publicly responded to the letter.
The appeal comes as escalating hostilities continue to disrupt global travel and leave Americans navigating rapidly changing security conditions abroad.
