Chicago City Wire

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has been called to Washington to testify before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, chaired by James Comer, R-KY, on February 11, and to turn over all documents and communications to Chicago’s sanctuary policies. 

The mayors of Denver, New York and Boston, all heading sanctuary cities, also have been called to testify.

In his letter to the mayors, Comer wrote that “sanctuary jurisdictions and their misguided and obstructionist policies hinder the ability of federal law enforcement officers to effectuate safe arrests and remove dangerous criminals from American communities, making Americans less safe. Boston, Chicago, Denver, and New York City are sanctuary jurisdictions that refuse to fully cooperate with federal immigration enforcement” deciding "what laws they will and will not abide by all for the purpose of shielding removable aliens, especially criminals, from federal law enforcement.”

CPD Chief Larry Snelling | City of Chicago

Johnson, speaking at a Tuesday press conference, was non-committal about complying with Comer's request.

This week, more than 100 illegals in the Chicago area have been arrested by U.S. Customs and Immigration (ICE) agents for potential deportation, according to a CBS News report.

Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling said multiple federal agencies have told the Chicago Police Department they are focused on arresting undocumented immigrants who have been convicted of violent crimes.

Snelling said that while CPD is not directly cooperating with ICE the department was in communication with them.

"The communication that we have directly from the federal agency is that their focus would be people who are undocumented who have committed violent crimes, and have been convicted of crimes," Snelling said.

The superintendent also said federal agents would not be going to schools or businesses in a search for illegals.

"What we have not seen is that we have not seen federal agents running through Chicago looking for children, going to work locations and grabbing people," he said. "There's no need to be afraid to show up to work. There's no need to be afraid to go to school."

Putting more pressure on Johnson, the national oversight group, Judicial Watch (JW), is suing for records regarding the mayor’s promise to resist the Trump administration’s mass deportation and other immigration law enforcement activities.

In a news release, JW said the law firm Chalmers, Adams, Backer & Kaufman filed the lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court Chancery Division after the mayor’s office failed to adequately respond to a November 27, 2024, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for records or communications of Mayor Johnson or his designated representative about plans or preparations to resist federal efforts to enforce immigration laws or not cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement deportations.

“Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson announced himself and his city government to be outlaws on illegal immigration as they plan to help illegal aliens resist the rule of law,” said JW President Tom Fitton. “Sure enough, this scandal is worsened by the evident cover-up of the full scope of Mayor Johnson’s lawlessness, which Judicial Watch aims to remedy with our open records lawsuit.”