Dupage Policy Journal

Kathy Zander of Carol Stream, Illinois, whose son John Zander died of a fentanyl overdose, said the drug is a "weapon of mass destruction" that is "flooding our streets." She made these remarks during a press conference in Springfield with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

"I lost my son to a fentanyl poisoning," said Zander, Mother of John Zander, according to YouTube. "Fentanyl is a weapon of mass desctruction. We all know it's flooding our streets."

According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), John Zander died from fentanyl poisoning just four days before his 23rd birthday. Kathy Zander said that her son was persuaded by a close friend to snort what he believed was cocaine; however, the substance had been laced with fentanyl without his knowledge, leading to his death. Kathy shared John's story during a press conference hosted by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in Springfield, Illinois, on May 7, 2025.

The New York Post reported that Noem joined Angel families near the Illinois governor’s mansion in Springfield to denounce the state’s sanctuary policies. Standing alongside families who had lost loved ones to crimes committed by illegal migrants, Noem called on Governor JB Pritzker to "abandon" what she described as a "dangerous" approach.

During the press conference, Noem criticized Illinois's TRUST Act for limiting cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities, claiming such policies endanger public safety. She cited another case involving Emma Shafer, who was fatally stabbed in Springfield in July 2023, allegedly by Gabriel Calixto, an illegal immigrant with multiple pending charges. "Governors like JB Pritzker don’t care if gang bangers, rapists and pedophiles roam free in this state," she said. "If they are here illegally, he’s going to protect them."

Kathy Zander reiterated her concerns about public safety following her son's death.