Chicago City Wire

Steve Cortes, a Chicago-area native and president of the League of American Workers (LAW), said Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson (D) is prioritizing the protection of criminal illegal aliens “over the law-abiding citizens of Chicago.”

Cortes’ comments came after Johnson signed an executive order making Chicago an “ICE-free zone,” referring to U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE), prohibiting federal immigration officers from using city-owned property for enforcement activity.

“Brandon Johnson gives sanctuary to criminal illegal aliens while at the same time trying to ban law enforcement from the city,” Cortes told Chicago City Wire. “He says law enforcement is a sickness while at the same time impeding the deportation of sickening illegal alien sexual offenders.”

”It’s clear that Johnson’s priority is protecting criminals over the law-abiding citizens of Chicago,” said Cortes. “Which is why President Trump will not hesitate to ignore Johnson and enforce federal immigration laws to remove criminals from the streets, which is exactly what he was elected to do.”

Johnson’s executive order directs city departments to identify and label all city-owned properties that cannot be used for civil immigration enforcement operations, including parking lots, garages, and vacant lots, reported NBC Chicago. City employees are also required to report any attempted use of city property by ICE to the Mayor’s Office and Corporation Counsel, according to the order.

The order came a few days after the National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) and the Illinois State FOP issued a joint statement condemning the Chicago Police Department for reportedly ordering officers not to assist U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents who were under threat during an incident in the city.

ICE agents came under attack after being surrounded by a group of protesters, and nearby Chicago officers were instructed not to intervene. The FOP called the order “shocking,” saying it violated the core law enforcement principle of mutual aid among officers.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) last week announced the arrest of over 800 individuals throughout Illinois in a recent operation named Midway Blitz. The initiative, led by ICE and U.S. Border Patrol officers, focused on apprehending criminal illegal aliens in the Prairie State.

Cortes previously worked in finance and later became a frequent political analyst on CNBC, CNN, and Fox News, where he emphasized populist themes and Latino outreach. He founded LAW, and organization that advocates for secure borders, fair trade, and policies that prioritize American workers over foreign interests.