Chicago City Council is considering a proposal that would create designated “Democracy Zones” prohibiting immigration enforcement near polling places on election days.
Supported by Mayor Brandon Johnson, the “Reverend Jesse L. Jackson Sr. Fair Access to Democracy Ordinance” directs the city to establish “Democracy Zones” extending 100 feet beyond existing campaign-free areas around polling locations. The draft order states that “no area within a Democracy Zone may be used for civil immigration enforcement activity.”
By creating these zones, the city would declare parts of Chicago off-limits to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Opponents such as 15th Ward Ald. Ray Lopez argue the proposal undermines federal law and raises legal concerns, including potential First Amendment violations.
“This ordinance seeks to capitalize on the death of a civil rights icon by seeking an answer to a problem that doesn’t exist,” Lopez told Chicago City Wire. “As much as the extreme Democratic Left and Socialists decried President Trump election loss conspiracies, they have proven no better. Actually, the Democratic logic is worse as it appears to build on the allegations of non-citizens participating in our American electoral process and needing protection from deportation.”
The ordinance would also make it illegal to publish the personal identifying information of government workers, including election judges and poll workers.
Violations could carry fines ranging from $500 to $5,000 per offense, and affected workers could sue for damages.
It would also require residential building owners to provide secure mail receptacles for each unit, framing the measures as necessary to protect voter participation and election integrity.
“The nature of this ordinance, complete with its First Amendment violations and its assumption of dictating policy regulations to the United States Post Office are completely unenforceable,” he said. “This is legislative gaslighting at its finest.”
City Council approval is required for the ordinance to take effect.
Exterior of a Chicago polling place with multilingual signage directing voters. A proposed ordinance would create “Democracy Zones” extending 100 feet around polling sites where immigration enforcement would be barred on election days. (Wikimedia Commons / Kaleb Nyquist)
“Just like his Executive Orders, Mayor Brandon Johnson is not interested in solving problems,” Lopez said. “He wants to give the illusion of leadership without actually proposing solutions to the real problems facing the residents of this most American of American cities. He could work for amnesty for the long-term undocumented – but he chooses not to do so. He could work for pathways for citizenship for the tens of thousands of undocumented ‘Dreamers’ in our city and the millions across the nation – yet again he chooses not to do so.”
Lopez added that the administration’s approach conflates different immigration groups and overlooks long-standing policy commitments.
“Mayor Johnson and his allies continue to show a remarkable lack of understanding when it comes to the immigration crisis, both in terms of its long-term and short-term issues. They conflate those migrant asylum seekers with protections and the undocumented non-citizens without, leap frogging them over those the Democratic Party promised to help since President Obama’s tenure.”
He said the city needs concrete solutions rather than political messaging.
“Chicago needs more than hollow rhetoric,” Lopez said. “Sadly that is all we can expect from this administration eager to appease the hyper-progressive white voter base that wants to feel like they are allies in the struggle without having to actually get their hands dirty doing any real work for the immigrant and undocumented residents of Chicago.”
Chicago already limits cooperation with federal immigration authorities under the 2012 “Welcoming City” Ordinance, which restricts city involvement in federal enforcement.
Critics contend sanctuary policies like the “Welcoming City” framework are politically motivated, legally ambiguous and difficult to enforce, leaving the city unprepared for real-world challenges.
Since 2022, Chicago has resettled an estimated 51,000 illegal immigrants at a projected cost of $2.5 billion, primarily for healthcare, housing, food, rental assistance and migrant welcome centers, according to the Illinois Public Policy Institute.
The Democracy Zones proposal comes weeks after Mayor Johnson signed the “ICE On Notice” executive order, directing the Chicago Police Department to document alleged misconduct by federal immigration agents and refer felony cases to the Cook County State’s Attorney.
“Chicago will not sit idly by while Trump floods federal agents into our communities and terrorizes our residents,” Johnson said in the executive order.
The order establishes procedures for CPD officers to document federal enforcement activities, preserve body-camera footage and identify supervisory officers engaged in immigration law enforcement, with felony matters referred for prosecution.
Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke sharply criticized the executive order.
“[I]nserting the mayor’s office into the already well-established process for felony review of charges is not only wholly inappropriate, but it also jeopardizes our ability to effectively prosecute and secure convictions when federal law enforcement agents have committed a crime,” Burke said in a statement.
Burke emphasized her office cannot be compelled to pursue cases at the mayor’s direction, and it remains unclear whether her concerns would extend to the proposed Democracy Zones.
