Chicago City Wire

Mayor Brandon Johnson has announced the launch of a new website, "Protecting Chicago," aimed at providing residents with centralized information and resources as part of the Protecting Chicago Initiative. The initiative comes in response to increased federal immigration enforcement activities.

"Chicago is developing a national model for cities resisting unconstitutional overreach by the federal government,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “The Protecting Chicago website will serve as a one-stop shop for information and resources that ensure every Chicagoan knows their rights. Our continued efforts to protect Chicago from unlawful federal actions are essential to preserving public safety, due process rights, and positive civic engagement.”

The website, available at chicago.gov/protect, consolidates community resources from the Office of Immigrant, Migrant and Refugee Rights (IMRR) and the Mayor’s Office of Homelessness (MOH). It also provides guidance for individuals planning peaceful demonstrations in the city. Information on knowing your rights is offered in several languages, including Mandarin, French, Spanish, English, Haitian Creole, and Ukrainian.

Chief Homelessness Officer Sendy Soto commented on the initiative's scope: "The Protecting Chicago Initiative reaffirms the Mayor's commitment to offering compassionate and meaningful support to every person experiencing homelessness, no matter where they are in our city. It also builds upon the Mayor’s Office of Homelessness' public-community readiness approach to ensure people experiencing homelessness, including frontline workers and volunteers who support them, are aware of their rights and the resources available to protect their safety."

The announcement expands on previous efforts such as an enhanced Know Your Rights campaign and IMRR’s digital Family Preparedness Campaign. These measures provide immigrant, refugee, and mixed-status families with tools should family separation occur due to immigration enforcement.

Deputy Mayor for Immigrant and Refugee Rights Beatriz Ponce de Leon stated: "The Protecting Chicago website is another step forward towards ensuring that all Chicagoans, regardless of their immigration status, know and understand their rights. Our aim is to make sure that every Chicagoan has the knowledge they need to be prepared and make informed decisions for themselves and their families."

This development follows recent escalations in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations within Chicago.

The site includes not only city-prepared materials but also resources from community groups and local partners. Background details about Mayor Johnson’s Protecting Chicago executive order are provided as well.

That executive order established cooperation across departments to defend constitutional rights during periods of intensified immigration enforcement or possible National Guard deployment by federal authorities in Chicago.