Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Emma Shafer’s mom wants to be heard.

Cathy Schwartz, in a letter a friend read to the Springfield city council Tuesday, said the visit of U.S. Homeland Security secretary Kristi Noem (pictured) May 7 exploited Shafer’s memory. Noem’s news conference was near the apartment where Shafer – a well-known local activist – was stabbed to death in 2023. Noem said Gov. JB Pritzker’s policies allowed the killer, suspected to be Shafer’s illegal immigrant boyfriend, to be in Illinois.

Schwartz’ letter said, “the day was quite retraumatizing, so traumatizing that I completely blacked out on the majority of the day. While awake and appearing coherent, I could not take in what was going on.”

While Noem said her office attempted to contact Schwartz, Schwartz was actually protesting Noem’s visit while it was occurring.

The letter urged the council to do more to lift up the city by working together to make Springfield what Shafer wanted it to be.

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