Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has issued an executive order outlining measures for city officials to counter a potential immigration enforcement crackdown by the Trump administration. The directive instructs city agencies and local law enforcement to reject collaboration with federal agents on joint operations, including civil immigration enforcement.
The Chicago Police Department will only follow orders from the mayor, according to the order cited by POLITICO. Johnson warned of possible militarized immigration efforts, National Guard deployments, and active military presence in the city, stating, “This president is not going to come in and deputize our police department.”
The move follows a Department of Homeland Security memo proposing the use of Naval Station Great Lakes as a base for immigration operations near Chicago. Trump has also threatened to deploy the National Guard to address crime in the city, mirroring actions taken in Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles.
The White House criticized Johnson’s actions as “publicity stunts,” praising Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser for her response to federal law enforcement efforts. Meanwhile, Johnson’s order mandates resistance to federal initiatives that infringe on Chicagoans’ rights, demanding Trump halt military deployments for immigration enforcement.
Trump has faced legal challenges over previous National Guard deployments, including one in Los Angeles aimed at addressing immigration protests. His recent executive order establishing “specialized units” in the National Guard to tackle city crime remains unclear in its implementation.
