Chicago Mayor Criticizes “Illegal Alien” Term
During a news conference on Friday, Chicago’s Democratic Mayor, Brandon Johnson, strongly criticized reporters for using the phrase “illegal alien,” labeling it as “racist” and “offensive.”
A video shared on Johnson’s official Instagram showed a reporter asking him about a city spending report concerning “illegal aliens” that he was supposed to submit to the White House.
Johnson swiftly rejected the terminology. “We don’t have illegal aliens,” he said, questioning the terminology’s validity. “The legal term for my people was slave. Are you going to use that term for me too? Let’s be clear— we’re talking about undocumented individuals, who are people.”
Johnson emphasized, “We do not accept the use of such racist and offensive language to describe human beings.”
He continued by discussing his administration’s budget of $16.7 billion, which prioritizes investments in education, transportation, housing, environmental justice, youth employment, and community safety.
“And we’re going to ask the ultra-wealthy to pay their fair share,” he added.
Later on, Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) backed Johnson’s statements, indicating that breaking immigration laws isn’t a criminal offense.
Jayapal remarked, “It’s important for people to understand that our immigration system is civil in nature. Unlawful presence in the United States is not a crime, so we appreciate the clarification on the language.”
Johnson has a history of defending Chicago’s immigration policies and has criticized former President Trump’s stance on crime and border security. Just last month, he held a passionate press conference condemning Trump’s crackdown on crime.
In a notable incident, three undocumented immigrants and six Americans were arrested last week during what the Department of Homeland Security called “one of the most violent days” of their Operation Midway Blitz. This operation was initiated in memory of Katie Abraham, who was tragically killed in a hit-and-run accident attributed to a Guatemalan immigrant.
DHS described the operation as targeting criminal immigrants posing risks in sanctuary cities across Illinois.
As of now, Johnson’s office and Rep. Jayapal have not responded to requests for further comments regarding these issues.
