Chicago official slams Brandon Johnson’s new ICE directives: ‘Who is the mayor trying to protect?’
Chicago officials have criticized Mayor Brandon Johnson for issuing new guidelines on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ISA) before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.
Johnson on Friday Released instructions How to handle ICE visits on city property, while reaffirming the administration’s “commitment to the Welcoming City Act.”
In a bid to change federal governance, the mayor’s office confirmed the city will continue to comply with the 2017 Illinois Trust Act, which prohibits local law enforcement from participating in federal immigration enforcement.
If ICE enters city property, Johnson’s instructions, “Contact your agency or department’s designated attorney or general counsel for further guidance. Contact the highest authority or designated supervisor on the scene and take no further action until that person arrives.”
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As the refugee crisis continues and crime soars in the Windy City, Mayor Johnson enacts a 60-day evacuation policy for refugees. (Getty Images/AP)
The directive says not to grant ICE access to any private or ‘confidential’ areas to request warrant copies, but not to interfere with any search, even if refused. There are additional tips, including note-taking and keeping up-to-date written records.
The mayor’s office said, “The mayor and corporation counsel are discussing the guidelines with department officials to ensure Chicago is a welcoming city for all its residents.”
However, 15th Ward Alderman Ray Lopez criticized Johnson’s efforts, in Fox 32 Chicago.
“I’m amazed that Mayor Ald Tabares and I are in this extraordinary effort to try and stop what we want to do, which is to remove the small number of individuals who choose to commit crimes in the city of Chicago,” Lopez said.
He continued and said:
Lopez’s comments came after he and fellow 23rd Ward Alderman Silvana Tabarez proposed a welcome city ordinance amendment. According to FOX 32, the law allows domestic agencies to work with ICE to target undocumented individuals “arrested or convicted of certain crimes.”
“The narrative by the mayor and his allies is that we’re trying to get rid of everybody — that’s not it,” Lopez said.
Arrests must be for one of four crime categories: gang-related activity, drug-related activity, prostitution and human trafficking, or sex crimes involving minors, he said.
The bill is expected to be voted on at the city council meeting next Wednesday.
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Many Chicagoans have been railing against the influx of immigrant housing in their neighborhood since the beginning of the year. (Screenshot/Fox 32 Chicago)
Lopez also explained that the Trump administration will focus on undocumented individuals and temporary protections who have criminal backgrounds and are “at risk.”
“We even see Congress moving in that direction in a bipartisan way. Why don’t we try to join them in that effort? It really begs the question, who is the mayor trying to protect and why the hell is he bent on protecting criminals here in the city of Chicago,” he said.
Trump’s choice of border czarTom Homan, when criticizing the political leaders of Illinois, promised to follow Chicago by strict control.
Recently arrived refugees sit on beds at a city-run temporary shelter at O’Hare International Airport on August 31, 2023. ((Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images))
Speaking at a GOP holiday party last month, Homan outlined his plan, vowing to ensure the status of asylum seekers and arrest anyone who provides shelter to illegal immigrants.
He also warned that Homan Johnson would be prosecuted if he obstructed ICE’s mass deportation efforts.
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Chicago officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.