Chicago Mayor Aims for “Iceless Zone” to Counter Federal Enforcement
Brandon Johnson, Chicago’s mayor who identifies as “progressive,” has issued an executive order to create an “iceless zone” in the city, which he claims will hinder federal law enforcement actions.
During a press conference on Monday, Johnson referred to officers from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) as “a group of fraudulent, reckless, armed, masked individuals,” and specified certain areas of the city where these federal officials operate.
He asserted that his orders “establish an ice-free zone.” According to Johnson, recent actions by federal agents utilizing city-owned properties—like parking lots near Harrison and Kesey and certain vacant lots—for immigration enforcement purposes have damaged community trust and violate Chicago’s welcoming ordinances.
“This means that urban property and unwilling private companies are no longer suitable locations for staging these operations,” he pointed out.
Johnson also took the opportunity to criticize the former Trump administration. He expressed concern about “heavily armed, obscured individuals” in the city, suggesting their presence endangers Chicago’s residents. “The parking lot by our school is for Chicagoans to unload their children, not for ICE to load weapons,” he remarked. “Our libraries are spaces for reading and relaxation, not for ICE to plan assaults. Our parks are there for enjoyment, not as checkpoints for ICE.”
Following the press conference, Johnson’s office shared a statement on social media. They declared, “We will not accept ICE agents violating the constitutional rights of our residents, nor will we allow the federal government to disregard local authority.” They accused ICE agents of causing harm to elected officials, protesters, and residents alike, emphasizing that such actions are unacceptable in Chicago.
Johnson intensified his rhetoric by accusing right-wing individuals of wanting a “civil war rematch” and claiming that Trump had declared a war between Chicagoans and Americans at large.
This dramatic language comes amid an order from Johnson directing Chicago police not to assist federal law enforcement, especially during clashes with protesters outside ICE facilities nationally.
