Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and other city leaders say they're ready to support immigrants in Chicago, as reports suggest the Trump Administration is preparing an intensive ICE operation here.
Homeland Security authorities appear to be ready to send ICE teams into Chicago starting as soon as next week to round up undocumented immigrants. Reports suggest they'll use Naval Station Great Lakes in the north suburbs as a base of operation.
This deployment would be different than the suggestion first made by President Trump during an Oval Office appearance on August 22 that he might send National Guard forces into Chicago to respond to violent crime.
During a virtual briefing Friday morning, Mayor Johnson told reporters that the apparent shift does not change anything for the city of Chicago.
"We're a welcoming city," Johnson said. "We're going to make sure that the families in our city know their rights. We're going to make sure that all of our sister agencies and our departments are working in concert with the Welcoming City ordinance, and we're going to continue to show up for working people."
In addition, administrators at Chicago Public Schools are working to reassure parents that children will be safe in class, regardless of their families' immigration status. Interim public schools CEO Dr. Macquline King addressed that effort during Thursday's meeting of the Board of Education.
"CPS sent a letter to all families ... with resources for managing unsettling situations," Dr. King told the board. "Except in the rarest of circumstances, CPS will not share student information with any federal agent, and no federal agent will be allowed access to our schools."
City leaders continue to stress that they have heard nothing from federal authorities about any deployment of resources into the Chicago area, and insist that law enforcement assistance from the National Guard is unlawful and unneeded.
