Mayor of Chicago inks order to oppose Trump’s immigration crackdown

(MENAFN) The mayor of Chicago has signed an order outlining how the city plans to respond to a potential immigration crackdown threatened by the Trump administration.

"We do not need nor want an unconstitutional and illegal military occupation of our city," said Mayor Brandon Johnson, a Democrat. The directive provides guidance for city agencies on handling possible federal immigration enforcement activities.

Trump has already deployed roughly 2,000 troops to Washington, D.C., and has suggested he might extend such measures to Chicago, which he has described as a "mess." Reports also indicate the administration may increase the number of federal immigration agents in the city. The White House dismissed the mayor’s order as "a publicity stunt."

The order marks the latest escalation in tensions between federal authorities and state and local officials in Illinois over violent crime and immigration enforcement. It instructs Trump and federal personnel to "stand down from any attempts to deploy the US Armed Forces" within the city.

The directive reiterates several existing city policies, including the requirement for law enforcement officers to wear body cameras and display identifying information, as well as a ban on masks. ICE officers have faced criticism in other cities for hiding their identities.

Johnson stated that city officials will help residents understand their rights if they encounter immigration enforcement, while making clear that local police will not participate in joint operations with federal agents.

Local authorities note that over one in five Chicago residents is an immigrant, with more than half coming from Latin American countries. The exact number living in the city without legal documentation is uncertain. Trump, a Republican, has labeled Chicago, America’s third-largest city, as "a killing field," citing crime levels as an emergency justification.

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