VIDEO — Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s speech was slow and solemn at the press conference Saturday to announce an executive order he signed rejecting President Donald Trump’s threat to deploy military forces and federal immigration agents to Chicago, declaring the city will “pursue all available legal and legislative avenues” to block what he called an unconstitutional power grab.
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The order, Executive Order 2025-6, denounces the potential deployment of the U.S. Armed Forces, the National Guard and militarized immigration enforcement in the city. It also establishes a new “Protecting Chicago Initiative” directing city agencies to coordinate efforts to safeguard residents against federal enforcement actions.
Johnson said Chicago police will not participate in joint patrols, arrest operations or any enforcement of civil immigration law alongside federal or military personnel. “We may see militarized immigration enforcement. We may also see National Guard troops. We may even see active duty military and armed vehicles in our streets,” Johnson said before signing the order. “We have not called for this. Our people have not asked for this, but nevertheless, we find ourselves having to respond to this.”
The executive order requires Chicago Police Department officers to wear uniforms or approved gear clearly identifying them as local officers and to activate body cameras during interactions with the public. Federal and military officers operating in the city are “urged” to follow the same rules, including visibly identifying themselves by name, badge number and agency.
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The order also instructs city departments to submit regular Freedom of Information Act requests to federal agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection, to track local enforcement activity. Chicago will also work with consular officials to ensure residents have access to “know your rights” information and documentation of federal actions.
Trump has signaled that Chicago could be among the first cities targeted in an expanded immigration crackdown. The White House on Saturday dismissed Johnson’s executive order as a “publicity stunt.”
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a Democrat, has also condemned Trump’s plan, accusing the administration of trying to “militarize our cities and end elections.”
Johnson framed his move as a defense of Chicago’s sovereignty. “Chicago is a Welcoming City,” the order reads. “Immigration is not a threat to be managed but a legacy to be honored and a strength to be protected.”
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