Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson signs executive order challenging immigration crackdown
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Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson signs executive order challenging immigration crackdown
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an executive order on Saturday to counter a looming federal immigration crackdown and a possible National Guard deployment. Johnson: “We have received credible reports that we have days, not weeks, before our city sees some type of militarized activity by the federal government. It is unclear at this time what that will look like exactly” The order establishes campaigns to inform people of their rights and utilizes legal action and legislation to prevent attempts to violate citizens’ rights. It also launches a Family Preparedness Campaign in multiple languages to “educate families on how to prepare in the event of a detention by federal agents,” according to the mayor’s office. President Donald Trump previously said he plans to send the National Guard to Chicago as part of efforts to curb violence. Johnson has said such a move would be a “flagrant violation” of the Constitution.
The legislation signed by Johnson establishes the Protecting Chicago Initiative, a directive to protect the constitutional rights of residents, according to the mayor’s office.
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“We do not have the luxury of time,” the mayor stated. “We have received credible reports that we have days, not weeks, before our city sees some type of militarized activity by the federal government. It is unclear at this time what that will look like exactly.”
The order, which Johnson said is the most drastic executive action taken in any U.S. city in response to immigration enforcement, establishes campaigns to inform people of their rights and utilizes legal action and legislation to prevent attempts to violate citizens’ rights.
The initiative, according to the mayor’s office, affirms the Chicago Police Department will remain a locally controlled agency under the authority of the city and the mayor. Federal law enforcement and U.S. military personnel who operate in Chicago are directed to adhere to the following policies, which CPD officers must also comply with:
Law enforcement cannot wear any mask, covering or disguise intended to conceal their identities from the public while performing their official duties.
Personnel must legally wear body cameras and activate those cameras during all law enforcement-related activities during which the officer is interacting with a member of the public.
·Personnel must legally display identifying information in a clearly visible fashion. This should include the name of the federal agency, last name, and badge number of the federal law enforcement officer, or the armed forces member’s last name and rank, respectively.
Read details on the Protecting Chicago executive order here.
The executive order also launches a Family Preparedness Campaign in multiple languages to “educate families on how to prepare in the event of a detention by federal agents,” according to the mayor’s office.
NBC News previously reported multiple federal agencies will “surge manpower” to Chicago next week to step up immigration enforcement and arrests.
Two federal law enforcement officials told NBC News that ICE, Border Patrol and other agencies will send numerous agents and equipment to the city in an effort to increase arrests of undocumented immigrants in the city.
The operating base for the enforcement actions is expected to be Naval Station Great Lakes, with the New York Times reporting that more than 200 federal agents and more than 100 vehicles will be part of the operation.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson spoke alongside Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker in response to President Donald Trump’s threats to send National Guard troops to the city.
Trump previously said he plans to send the National Guard to Chicago as part of efforts to curb violence, but Democratic leaders voiced strong opposition, with Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker saying there is “no emergency” that requires Trump to deploy troops to the city. Johnson has said such a move would be a “flagrant violation” of the Constitution.
“We will protect our Constitution, we will protect our city, and we will protect our people,” he said. “We do not want to see tanks in our streets. We do not want to see families ripped apart. We do not want grandmothers thrown into the back of unmarked vans.”
The mayor said Chicago is going to be “prepared for anything and everything.”
“What his ultimate desire is… is to come into our city, to break the Constitution and to break our democracy and to break our city, and Chicago is going to remain firm in our position,” Johnson said, referring to Trump.
If Trump follows through with a deployment, Johnson has directed city officials to “pursue all available legal and legislative avenues” to resist efforts that violate “the sovereignty of the city and the rights of residents.”