Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson defiantly launches a taxpayer-funded campaign to thwart Trump’s immigration enforcement plans, instructing illegal immigrants on how to evade federal law enforcement.
Key Takeaways
- Chicago is relaunching a “Know Your Rights” campaign with taxpayer money to help illegal immigrants evade federal immigration enforcement
- Mayor Johnson has vowed to challenge President Trump through legal means, public demonstrations, and policy actions
- The city is displaying immigration raid preparation information on over 400 screens throughout Chicago’s transit system
- Chicago has received over 51,000 migrants since August 2022, while simultaneously working to obstruct federal immigration enforcement
- Chicago officials are actively working to prevent police from sharing information with ICE despite federal deportation efforts
Chicago Activates Anti-Enforcement Campaign
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is openly defying President Trump’s immigration enforcement initiatives by relaunching a taxpayer-funded campaign explicitly designed to help illegal immigrants avoid deportation. The campaign, which will place advertisements on over 400 screens across Chicago’s transit system, provides detailed instructions on how to respond if approached by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. This coordinated effort between city officials and immigration advocacy groups represents a direct challenge to federal law enforcement operations targeting illegal immigrants in major sanctuary cities like Chicago.
The initiative directs residents to a “Know Your Rights” website with resources explicitly focused on preparing for and evading ICE raids. Mayor Johnson, who has made protecting illegal immigrants a cornerstone of his administration, defended the campaign as a constitutional necessity rather than acknowledging it as deliberate obstruction of federal law enforcement. The mayor’s administration is actively working with The Resurrection Project, National Immigrant Justice Center, and the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights to develop materials that effectively undermine federal immigration enforcement.
The bridges came down, but the lies stayed up …
Chicago Collapses in Real Time: Teens Shot on Sidewalks, Cars Stolen in Front of Cops, Downtown Paralyzed for a Protest That Already Happenedhttps://t.co/FA5Tcn6fs7 | Street Reports | 12 June 2025 by @drkugler
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Johnson Promises Legal Challenges and Street Protests
Mayor Johnson has publicly declared that Chicago will fight President Trump’s immigration enforcement “as far as necessary,” explicitly mentioning legal challenges, policy changes, and street demonstrations as tactics the city will employ. Johnson’s administration is already supporting California’s lawsuit against the federal government regarding National Guard deployment in Los Angeles. Chicago’s Corporation Counsel Mary Richardson-Lowry has claimed that federal operations would violate the Constitution, despite the federal government’s clear authority over immigration enforcement, revealing the city’s intent to manufacture legal obstacles.
“Whatever is necessary… we should all be committed to doing just that, whether it’s in the courts, whether it’s in the streets or with policy, we’re going to continue to defend and stand up for working people,” Johnson said in response to the remark at a city hall news conference
Adding to the city’s resistance efforts, Chicago’s Law Department has refused to release records of CityKey program applicants, a government ID program widely used by undocumented residents. Some progressive alderpersons are pushing for even more aggressive measures, with Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez suggested the deployment of local police to physically prevent ICE from conducting raids in public spaces – a remarkable proposal to use local law enforcement to obstruct federal officers performing their lawful duties.
Trump Administration Identifies Chicago as Enforcement Target
President Trump’s administration has specifically identified Chicago as one of five cities targeted for tactical immigration enforcement operations. The federal government plans to deploy specialized teams equipped with appropriate resources to address the significant illegal immigrant population in Chicago. Tom Homan, President Trump’s border czar, has directly criticized Chicago’s obstruction efforts, accurately characterizing the city’s “Know Your Rights” campaign as instruction on “how to escape arrest” and “how to hide from ICE,” rather than legitimate educational outreach.
“For instance, Chicago is very well educated. They call it ‘know your rights.’ I call it how to escape arrest .. how to hide from ICE,” said Tom Homan.
This enforcement focus comes as Chicago struggles with the impact of more than 51,000 migrants who have arrived since August 2022, many relocated from Texas. Despite the strain these arrivals have placed on city resources and taxpayers, Johnson’s administration continues prioritizing protection for illegal immigrants over cooperation with federal law enforcement. The city’s Welcoming City Ordinance restricts police from sharing information with ICE, creating artificial barriers to the identification and removal of illegal immigrants who may pose public safety risks.
Information Sharing Controversy Highlights Deliberate Obstruction
A brewing controversy over the Chicago Police Department potentially sharing arrest information with ICE has prompted calls for an investigation and a committee hearing. This dispute reveals the extreme lengths to which Chicago officials will go to prevent cooperation with federal immigration authorities, even regarding individuals who have been arrested. While federal law generally permits information sharing between law enforcement agencies, Chicago’s sanctuary policies deliberately create barriers to such coordination, undermining effective immigration enforcement.
“The mayor should be on top of this, I would hope the mayor knows exactly what happened at this point and can communicate that at the right time, and that’s ASAP,” said 22nd Ward Ald. Mike Rodriguez.
Chicago’s Corporation Counsel Mary Richardson-Lowry has gone so far as to suggest revisiting Freedom of Information Act laws to further limit the release of information that could assist immigration enforcement. This extraordinary proposal would erect additional barriers to transparency and information sharing, specifically to obstruct federal officials from performing their lawful duties. As President Trump’s administration moves forward with enhanced immigration enforcement, Chicago’s leadership appears committed to using every available tool to undermine federal law at taxpayer expense.
