Chicago City Wire

Chicago’s 15th Ward Alderman, Ray Lopez, has declared his candidacy for the 4th Congressional District, citing the escalating situation at the southern border as a national security issue.  Lopez criticized the Biden Administration and Congress, accusing them of failure and dismissing accusations of “racism” from U.S. Rep. Chuy Garcia (D-Ill.) as a distraction.

“The situation at the border is a national security issue. People from across the globe are pouring through the southern border, overwhelming federal agents,” Lopez said on Facebook. “The Biden Administration & Congress have failed. Politicians like Chuy Garcia gaslight those exposing their failures with cries of racism.”

“I’m running for Congress because the 4th District deserves a congressman with common sense & a willingness to address these issues and more from a place of truth.”

In an appearance on Kellyanne Conway’s show on Fox News, Lopez held President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris accountable for the challenges at the border. He voiced his frustration over what he sees as a lack of accountability towards United States Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas and advocated for securing the border to stem the influx of migrants drawn by perceived free benefits and social media encouragement.

“My mayor is blaming everyone except the person who does get the blame, and that is President Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, who are responsible for protecting and securing our borders and for having a functional immigration system,” Lopez said.

“They’re not calling out, Secretary Mayorkas for letting undocumented in, for letting asylum seekers come to this country under false pretense and then giving them court cases ten years from now. They’re calling on the governor who’s clearly frustrated, who even has Democratic city mayors begging for help as they are being overrun on a daily basis.”

“It’s outrageous that common sense is nowhere to be found in the Democratic Party anymore when it comes to this issue. If we want this to stop, we have to secure the border. We have to stop the draw, which is all the free benefits that people are hearing about and posting about and sharing amongst their social media circles, encouraging the ever-growing flow of individuals not just from South America now, but from the entire world to come to our southern border, sneak in just so they could get their payment, get their selfie, and then continue the cycle over and over again.”

Lopez also linked the border crisis with the recent death of a five-year-old boy, Jean Carlos Martinez Rivero, at a migrant shelter in Pilsen, Chicago. The crowded living conditions, leaks, and inadequate isolation measures at the shelter have raised concerns among volunteers and city officials alike.

An article from Block Club Chicago noted that Lopez will compete against incumbent U.S. Representative Chuy Garcia (D-Ill.) in the primary election scheduled for March 19. Lopez has been representing the 15th Ward since 2015.

The 4th Congressional District encompasses several Chicago neighborhoods including Brighton Park, West Elsdon, South Lawndale; most of New City, Pilsen, Chicago Lawn, Clearing, Garfield Ridge and Bridgeport; Cook County communities such as Burbank, Berwyn, Cicero; Brookfield among others; along with DuPage County communities like Hinsdale and Oak Brook.