Chicago City Wire

An Illinois Department of Human Services (DHS) caseworker says she’s risking her career and safety to expose what she calls systemic misconduct at the department in a YouTube video titled "Whistleblower blasts the State of Illinois and asks for Trump Administration’s help." 

“I'm a current caseworker for the State of Illinois Department of Human Services,” said Nicole Coco Patrice, who identifies herself in the video. “I'm speaking today as a protected whistleblower because what has gone on and in some ways is still going on in Illinois public aid isn't just messy, it's dangerous, it is dishonest, and baby, it might even be illegal.” 

Patrice is listed under the name Nicole Adams as a human services caseworker, earning $83,000 per year, according to the Illinois Comptroller’s state employee database. 

In the video, Patrice alleges the dysfunction began during the pandemic when vulnerable citizens—particularly on Chicago’s majority-Black South Side—had their public aid intentionally delayed or denied to shield DHS leadership from poor performance metrics.

“I watched citizens, especially on the south side of Chicago, get their benefits held back, not because they weren't eligible, no, because the administration didn't want their performance numbers looking like the actual hot mess that they were,” she said. “So people were left hungry, untreated and ignored just so leadership could look good on paper.”

She also claimed that bilingual DHS staff, including herself, were pulled from their normal duties to serve in what she described as “inhumane migrant shelters.”  

“Let me be clear, I have not ever once seen that kind of wraparound service offered to homeless US citizens,” Patrice said. “This was not given to our vets, not to our seniors, not to our struggling mothers, just the migrants.”

Patrice contends the efforts were abruptly halted only after she began filing civil complaints and speaking out.

“That’s not coincidence, just cause and effect,” she said. “And don’t worry, they can play dumb now, but the receipts, they are still there in the records.”

She went on to describe claims of incidents that point to serious misconduct within DHS.

“I've seen the unauthorized forms created with DHS logos that didn't follow the administrative code and the Illinois General Assembly statutes,” she said. “I've seen desperate customers' home addresses changed without their consent or knowledge. Preventing them from receiving their proper correspondences and subsequently benefits. And yes, based on what I've seen, we may have unknowingly been helping people to disappear. That's not just bad policy. That might be aiding and abetting human trafficking and harboring criminal illegal aliens.”

Patrice describes the internal environment at DHS as “toxic,” detailing unsafe working conditions, including vermin, structural hazards and lockdowns due to nearby shootings.

“We're talking leaky roofs. Ceilings about to cave in, mice running through our offices and jumping out of desk drawers like they paying rent, no working fridge at times, no microwave or drinkable water,” she said. “And some days we were even told we couldn't leave the building. Why? Because they were actually shooting outside.”

Patrice alleges that Governor J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson have violated federal law and calls on the Trump administration for assistance.

“I'm asking—no, I'm demanding—President Donald Trump, Director Tom Homan, AG Pam Bondi, FBI Director Kash Patel, I need y'all to hear me loud and clear. Illinois needs oversight,” Patrice said. “These systems are not just broken, they've been hijacked.”

Patrice also thanked those who have stood with her and called on fellow state workers and citizens to speak out.

“To my fellow coworkers, the ones who died during the pandemic due to the negligence and ignorance of the administration… I thank you,” she said. “We spoke when others stayed quiet. We stood tall when others folded. So here is the message. We are not scared. We will not be silenced. And we are absolutely not about to be complicit.”

In the video’s description, she reiterated her motivation. 

“I signed up to help people, not destroy communities and be complicit in violating federal law,” she wrote. “I’m done being silenced and there’s not much left they can do to hurt me and my family, so please share this and help save our city and state.”