The mayor of Chicago, Brandon Johnson (Democrat), signed on Monday an executive order that prohibits federal immigration officials from using municipal properties for their operations.
The order prevents the agents of the Customs Immigration and Control Service (ICE) from using parking lots, vacant lots and other municipal places for concentration, processing and operations.
I instruct municipal departments to implement measures within five days, require municipal employees to immediately denounce infractions and encourage local businesses and community organizations to adopt similar policies.
Last month, the Customs Immigration and Control Service (ICE) launched the Midway Blitz operation to attack immigrants without legal status in Chicago. Johnson and the governor of Illinois, JB Pritzker (Democrat), have criticized the increase in federal immigration measures in the city.
“We will not tolerate that ICE agents violate the constitutional rights of our residents or allow the federal government to ignore our local authority,” Johnson said in a statement.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-3tkvcdgc
The mayor also mentioned that, according to reports, ICE agents arrested the Councilor of Chicago Jessie Fuentes and used tear gas against residents on Friday.
“With this executive order, Chicago remains firm in the protection of the constitutional rights of our immigrant residents and communities, and in the defense of our democracy,” Johnson added.
Tricia McLaughlin, Undersecretary of the Department of National Security (DHS), strongly criticized Johnson in a statement, stating that he was “satanizing the forces of the ICE order.” “Just this weekend, he and Governor Pritzker refused to allow the Local Police Department to return our agents in the scene of a police attack. A growing and violent crowd began to launch stones against our forces of the order, but his patrol boss ordered his agents not to help,” he said.
“Their reckless policies not only endanger our forces of order, but also public security. While continuing to release pedophiles, rapists, gang members and murderers in the streets of Chicago, our brave forces of the order will continue to risk their lives, without paying, to arrest these criminal atrocious and return security to Chicago.”
The DHS reported Friday that ICE has arrested more than 1,000 people since its operation began in Chicago. In March 2025, approximately 1.7 million immigrants resided in the Metropolitan area of Chicago.
Last month Johnson signed an executive order aimed at protecting the right of Chicago residents to protest against immigration control measures. The order urged the Local Police Department to “collaborate with the organizers of the protest to develop a mutually acceptable alternative plan” if the Federal Police interferes with a protest.
