Mayor Johnson Cares More for the Well Being of Illegal Immigrants than Chicago Residents

The Trump Administration takes Brandon Johnson to court

One of the policy positions that has earned Mayor Brandon Johnson his 6.6 percent approval rating is his insistence on putting the interests of illegal immigrants ahead of the citizens who actually live, work, and vote in Chicago — especially the black voters who put him in office. Johnson's latest reaction to being personally sued by the Trump administration, along with the threat of losing billions in federal funding, proves he hasn’t learned a thing. If anything, he’s doubling down.

This week, Donald Trump announced a renewed push to strip federal funding from sanctuary cities — places like Chicago that have turned themselves into magnets for undocumented immigrants by refusing to cooperate with immigration enforcement. The president posted on Truth Social that he’s working to “withhold all Federal Funding” from any city or state that allows these “Death Traps” to exist. It was classic Trump: Provocative, broad-brush, and guaranteed to make headlines. And it sent Brandon Johnson’s press shop into full spin mode.

Instead of grappling with the policy implications or the staggering risk to essential city services, Johnson’s spokesperson Cassio Mendoza went straight for the buzzwords: “Unconstitutional,” “unlawful,” “vigorously defend.” Mendoza assured Chicagoans that the city complies with all federal and state laws — a bold claim given that sanctuary policy, by definition, limits cooperation with federal immigration authorities. However, Mendoza’s real job here wasn’t clarity. It was damage control.

Here’s what’s at stake: Johnson’s 2025 budget includes $2.72 billion in federal funds. That’s not pocket change — that’s the lifeblood of the city’s social services, housing programs, and public safety operations. Chicago Public Schools stands to lose another $1.3 billion. The CTA’s Red Line Extension, Johnson’s pride-and-joy transit equity project, would get kneecapped without $1.9 billion in federal grants.

So naturally, Johnson’s first instinct was…to pick a fight.

“We’re gonna sue,” Johnson declared when asked how he’d respond to the threat. “We’re not going to be intimidated by these threats. It’s just that simple.”

Except it’s never just that simple. A few hours later, the mayor’s office issued a clarification: The mayor wasn’t announcing any specific legal action. He was just, you know, speaking “broadly” about federal overreach.

Translation: Johnson panicked, ran his mouth, and now his lawyers are trying to get the toothpaste back in the tube.

This isn’t the first time. Johnson’s been consistently reactive on immigration. Last month, he testified before Congress and sparred with Republicans over sanctuary policy, insisting that Chicago’s approach was about “compassion” and “public safety.” What he failed to explain is how welcoming thousands of undocumented immigrants into a city already struggling with crime, housing shortages, and overstretched public schools is in anyone’s interest — especially black residents on the South and West Sides who’ve seen resources siphoned away from their communities in favor of migrant shelters and services.

Even now, with the city under legal assault, Johnson is still trying to position himself as a progressive foil to Trump. In a bizarre February text exchange with Alderman Walter Burnett, Johnson responded with enthusiasm to Burnett’s idea that Trump might “bring us together” by uniting Democrats in opposition. The mayor’s response? An emoji. That’s right — while billions in federal funding are on the line, the mayor is sending reaction emojis.

If you think that sounds unserious, you’re not alone. But that’s become a pattern with Johnson: Performative outrage, press conferences full of vague defiance, and behind-the-scenes walk-backs. Meanwhile, the real-world consequences for Chicagoans keep mounting.

And now the Trump administration is suing Johnson personally, along with Governor Pritzker and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, over sanctuary policies that limit how local police can assist with deportation efforts. It’s not just political theater — it’s a full-on legal battle, and this time, Trump might win. The federal judiciary has shifted rightward, and the 6-3 conservative Supreme Court could very well uphold funding cuts tied to immigration enforcement. The courts blocked Trump’s attempts to defund sanctuary cities in his first term, but this is 2024, not 2017.

Still, Johnson and his allies act like they’re living in a progressive bubble. At a Thursday press conference, Preckwinkle said, “We’re going to fight that, and we’d fight this too,” calling Trump’s legal efforts “assaults” on people of color, LGBTQ individuals, and immigrants.

But let’s be honest: What the Johnson administration is fighting for isn’t justice — it’s policy extremism. Chicago’s sanctuary ordinance, on the books since the 1980s, bans local law enforcement from cooperating with federal deportation authorities. In theory, it’s about ensuring undocumented residents can access services and report crimes without fear. In practice, it’s created a shadow system where migrants — many with no legal right to be here — receive a higher level of care and attention than longtime citizens.

It’s no wonder voters are furious. The city’s black residents, in particular, are finally waking up to the fact that the promises made during Johnson’s campaign are nowhere to be found in his policy priorities. While neighborhoods like Austin, Englewood, and Roseland remain under-policed, underserved, and under-resourced, Johnson is pouring millions into migrant housing, legal aid, and sanctuary protections. The mayor is not just ignoring his base — he’s actively betraying it.

Republicans in Congress are seizing the moment. On Thursday, Rep. James Comer (R-KY), chair of the House Oversight Committee, invited Governor Pritzker to testify at a May hearing on Illinois’ sanctuary policies. Comer labeled Illinois “a sanctuary jurisdiction that refuses to fully cooperate with federal immigration enforcement,” citing laws that bar local police from detaining immigrants on behalf of federal authorities. One of those laws, ironically, was signed by Republican Governor Bruce Rauner — a reminder that bipartisan foolishness got us into this mess.

Pritzker’s office dismissed the hearing as a “partisan dog and pony show,” but that’s beside the point. The optics are terrible, and the substance is worse. Comer is right: These policies do hinder law enforcement and endanger public safety. Ask any Chicago police officer what it’s like to deal with a violent repeat offender who just walked out of a sanctuary shelter with no identification and no fear of deportation.

The mayor and governor claim Illinois law is fully compliant with federal standards. But if that were true, why are they getting sued?

And more importantly — why are they willing to risk billions in funding, public safety, and political credibility just to score progressive virtue points?

The answer is simple: Both Mayor Johnson and Governor Pritzker think the voters won’t punish them for it. Johnson, in particular, still believes his coalition of labor activists, progressives, and party insiders will carry him through. But that coalition is fraying fast. With polls in the basement, crime still high, and working-class neighborhoods getting the short end of every stick, it’s becoming clear that the Brandon Johnson experiment is failing.

If there’s any consolation, it’s that the chickens are finally coming home to roost. Trump’s threats may be bombastic, but they’re not toothless — and the legal landscape has changed. For once, there may be consequences for the kind of irresponsible pandering that’s defined Johnson’s tenure.

And when those consequences hit — when the federal money dries up, when the courts rule against him, and when voters finally have their say — Johnson won’t be able to emoji his way out of it.