Democrat Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is ratcheting up his office’s sanctuary policies amid a widespread crackdown on illegal immigration across the city.
On Monday, Johnson signed an executive order establishing “ICE Free Zones” across Chicago, which aim to keep Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal immigration officials from accessing city-owned property, according to the mayor’s office. The order is Johnson’s latest action as he vehemently protests the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in the Windy City.
“We will not tolerate ICE agents violating our residents’ constitutional rights nor will we allow the federal government to disregard our local authority,” Johnson said in a public statement.
“With this Executive Order, Chicago stands firm in protecting the Constitutional rights of our residents and immigrant communities and upholding our democracy,” Johnson continued.
Under the order, Chicago officials must identify city-owned spaces that have been or may be used for federal immigration enforcement and place signage that states: “This property is owned and/or controlled by the City of Chicago. It may not be used for civil immigration enforcement, including as a: Staging area, processing location or operations base,” according to Johnson. The order also allows private businesses to designate their property as “ICE Free” zones, and will provide them with free signage.
Chicago has been a sanctuary jurisdiction for years, with Democrat leaders having doubled down on the Welcoming City Ordinance in January 2021. The city severely restricts cooperation and communication between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities.
The new sanctuary directive comes roughly a month after Johnson signed the “Protecting Chicago” executive order in late August, which seeks to “utilize legal action and legislation” against any immigration or National Guard deployment in Chicago. The mayor also signed the “Right to Protest” order in September, which directs the Chicago Police Department (CPD) to uphold First Amendment rights in coordination with local activists — even if federal agencies attempt to intervene.
Johnson’s flurry of executive actions are in response to Operation Midway Blitz, a crackdown by ICE agents that began in early September and is taking place across Illinois. Anti-ICE agitators — including Democrats running for Congress — have vehemently protested against the increased enforcement activity, leading to physical altercations between protesters and agents.
Tensions escalated quickly on Saturday when Border Patrol agents, while attempting to conduct a patrol in a Chicago suburb, were rammed by anti-ICE protesters and boxed in by 10 vehicles, forcing immigration officers to fire defensively. It was later revealed that Chicago police were ordered by their chief of patrol not to respond to Border Patrol agents’ call for help amid the mayhem.
“Thankfully, no law enforcement officers were seriously injured in this attack,” Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a public statement during the violent incursion. “Unfortunately, JB Pritzker’s Chicago Police Department is leaving the shooting scene and refuses to assist us in securing the area.”
“There is a crowd growing and we are deploying special operations to control a growing crowd,” McLaughlin went on.
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, a Democrat, announced a lawsuit Monday seeking to stop the Trump administration’s deployment of National Guard troops into the state.
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