‘Quite problematic,’ Chicago mayor says of feds’ silence about ICE raids

CHICAGO (WGN) — The Johnson administration is bracing for more Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations following President Trump’s orders to prioritize deportations in Democratic-led cities, with the mayor saying he’s received no word from the feds about their plans.

“It’s not like the federal government has given us any heads up, right?” Mayor Brandon Johnson said Tuesday. “There’s no communication from the federal government with our local police department. It’s quite problematic.”

Johnson, like most local Democratic officials, has spoken out against sweeping ICE activity, including reports of illegal detentions. ICE counters that it’s detaining people who have criminal convictions or orders of removal.

The Trump administration has set a goal of at least 3,000 arrests per day, prompting protests to pop up across the country.

“The Trump administration has sewn seeds of fear and division,” Johnson said. “We’re going to do everything in our power to make sure that people know their rights.”

He added: “We’re in favor of ensuring that people who are committing crimes and are undocumented, or just committing crimes and may be documented, that they should be held accountable. What we’re not in favor of is seeing grandmothers and grandfathers and mothers and fathers ripped away from children.”

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As fear grows among Chicago’s immigrant population, city officials urge families to create a plan that may include ensuring Power of Attorney documents are signed. Parents may consider designating someone to care for their children should they be detained.

“There are definitely threats and fears about massive raids but the best that people can do is be prepared,” said Beatriz Ponce de León, Chicago’s Deputy Mayor for Immigrant, Migrant and Refugee Rights.

As a policy, the Chicago Police Department does not cooperate with ICE. However, recent reporting shows CPD does hand over documents that include the names, addresses and country of origin of those targeted by federal authorities. The city’s law department is reviewing that cooperation.