More Democrats may move to Illinois following Trump victory

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) – It's been a week since Donald Trump was elected to his second, non-consecutive term as President of United States.

People across the county are now vowing to move to Illinois to escape what some are calling extreme Trump policies.

The growing idea among Democrats to move to Illinois started to ramp up after Trump handily defeated Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. JB Pritzker issued a warning to the president-elect.

"You come for my people, you come through me," Pritzker said during a press conference following the election.

Pritzker's message to Trump seemed to suggest Trump would have a fight on his hands if Trump's plans, which include mass deportations, reach Illinoisans.

Pritzker, who hasn't been shy about his disdain for Trump, says Trump could take aim at the LGBTQ+ community, women, people of color and other vulnerable populations.

"Having fought through the headwinds of the first Trump administration, the General Assembly and I took proactive steps to plan for the potential of a second Trump presidency and protect our residents from the damage of that it may attempt to cause," Pritzker said.

Some Americans in Republican-led states have taken to , Facebook and other social platforms to announce that Illinois was on their radar as a new place to call home.

"I need to move to Illinois so share with me some knowledge," one Threads user posted after the election. "Please. We can't stay in Tennessee."

"You are seeing more migration patterns following politics," said Conor Brown, CEO of the NorthWest Illinois Alliance of Realtors in Rockford. "And some of it could be social issues, whether it's guns and abortion. Or, it could be economic issues like business and taxes and things like that."

Brown says the reaction by the public following this year's election is nothing new.

"I think we saw some acceleration during the COVID period, as well," he said. "As much as it was a health care issue, it was also a political issue. And I think people moved to states that favored what they felt was their point of view on the issue."

While it is possible for thousands of people to move to Illinois at once, those looking to buy existing homes in the Land of Lincoln may run into a significant challenge.

"We certainly are still under an inventory crunch," Brow said. "So, we would probably see more new construction just to meet the demand."

The inventory crunch is not just being felt in the Rockford region, Brown said.

"The whole state has been suffering, and even nationwide," he added. "Freddie Mac estimates that we are about 5.5 to 6 million housing units short."

Politics aside, Brown said moving to Illinois can pay off for those who are willing to wait out the housing shortage.

"Throughout our region, we are adding more jobs," he said. "We have such strong demand for employees here that it is making it attractive for people to relocate."

According to Realtor.com , millennials are most likely to relocate for political reasons, followed by Gen X, Gen Z and baby boomers.