The day before Donald Trump’s inauguration, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker had a phone call to discuss how to handle challenges they might face with the new administration. They focused on the potential for mass deportation raids in Chicago, which Trump had mentioned during a campaign rally. Trump had promised to begin the largest deportation operation in U.S. history, claiming that migrants are criminals, a statement that isn’t true. He also criticized Democratic-run cities, like Chicago, as being crime-ridden, despite crime in Chicago actually decreasing over the past five years.
Though it’s unclear when the raids would start, city and state officials were preparing for the possibility of deportation actions soon after Trump returned to office. Mayor Johnson acknowledged the anxiety this caused among Chicago’s immigrant communities and said the city was ready to respond, particularly with regards to any executive orders Trump might sign in his first days back in the White House.
Johnson also expressed interest in meeting with Trump to discuss the impact of his policies on Chicago, while emphasizing the city’s commitment to being a sanctuary city. This means that local law enforcement will not cooperate with federal immigration officials. Chicago has a “Welcoming City” ordinance, which the City Council recently reaffirmed, ensuring that the city’s police are not tasked with immigration enforcement. Johnson also praised Governor Pritzker for his strong stance on keeping Illinois a sanctuary state, where laws protect immigrants.
Governor Pritzker, in a post on Sunday, reiterated that Illinois would continue to protect immigrant communities, and he emphasized the state’s laws, such as the Illinois Trust Act, which prevents local police from being involved in immigration enforcement.
Mayor Johnson made it clear that while his city and state will protect immigrants, they also agree that individuals who commit serious crimes should face the consequences, regardless of their immigration status. However, he criticized Trump for making it seem like people in the U.S. illegally are being defended when they break the law. The mayor pointed out that it is federal law, not local ordinances, that determines what happens to undocumented individuals who are convicted of crimes.
