Chicago mayor stood firm against Trump's blueprint for enhanced city immigration enforcement
In a surprising turn of events, President Donald Trump's administration is planning to surge federal officers into the city of Chicago, a move that has sparked controversy and resistance from local officials.
The mayor of Chicago, Brandon Johnson, has been vocal in his opposition to the Trump administration's plan. Johnson has accused the President of seeking a federal presence in blue cities as retribution against political rivals. He has also pushed back against the plan, stating that neither Chicago nor Illinois officials have been consulted on the matter.
Johnson's stance against federal intervention in immigration matters is not new. Chicago and Illinois have some of the country's strongest rules against cooperating with federal immigration enforcement efforts. The city declares itself a sanctuary city, refusing to cooperate with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, which is planned to conduct the control over immigration in Chicago during the Trump administration's enforcement operation.
The Chicago operation, expected to start as early as Sept. 5 and last about 30 days, according to two U.S. officials, is focused exclusively on immigration. In response, Johnson has directed all city departments to guard the constitutional rights of Chicago residents amidst the possibility of imminent militarized immigration or National Guard deployment by the federal government.
To further solidify his stance, Johnson has signed an executive order barring the Chicago Police Department from helping federal authorities with civil immigration enforcement or related patrols, traffic stops, and checkpoints during the surge.
The White House, however, has insisted that the potential flood of federal agents is about "cracking down on crime." This immigration crackdown is part of a larger effort to expand the federal law enforcement presence in major Democratic-run cities, similar to what happened in Los Angeles this summer.
The mayor's actions have not gone unnoticed. President Trump has commented about Chicago crime and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker on his Truth Social site, stating that they need help in preventing crime and threatening to intervene if they do not straighten it out. Johnson, in response, has accused Trump of behaving outside the bounds of the Constitution.
Abigail Jackson, White House spokeswoman, stated that if Democrats focused on fixing crime in their own cities, their communities would be much safer. However, Johnson's order builds on the city's longtime stance against federal intervention in immigration matters.
The Chicago operation is not expected to rely on the National Guard or military. Nevertheless, the city's residents and officials remain vigilant, ready to protect their rights and stand up against any unconstitutional actions.
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