Chicago mayor defends ICE order, calls for progressive revenue from state taxpayers

By Jim Talamonti
The Center Square

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has clarified his stance about the Cook County State’s Attorney’s support for his executive order directing police to refer federal immigration agents for prosecution.

When Johnson signed the order last Saturday, he said Burke’s office was in “complete support” of it.

Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke responded in a social media post.

“Mayor Johnson’s statement is not true. The CCSAO did not receive the Executive Order until it was released to the public,” Burke said.

The state’s attorney added that her office does not provide legal approval of any matter until they review it.

At a city hall press briefing on Tuesday, the mayor was asked about Burke’s comments and said he did not have authority over the state’s attorney.

“I have a responsibility and authority to direct my police department to not only identify ICE agents but also to collect evidence and to make sure that that evidence is preserved. That’s the authority that I have,” Johnson said.

When asked why police needed to go through his office with evidence of misconduct by federal agents instead of bringing the evidence directly to the state’s attorney’s office, Johnson responded by saying his office would work through the implementation of his order during the next 30 days.

The mayor was also asked about a proposed reboot of Bring Chicago Home, the real estate transfer tax defeated by voters in 2024.

Johnson said he was looking at all forms of progressive revenue, even after several ballot measures failed.

“In the meantime, we’re going to be focused in on our efforts in Springfield to draw more progressive revenue so that we can continue to make the necessary investments to build safe and affordable communities,” Johnson said.

Chicago Flips Red founder Zoe Leigh addressed the city council’s public safety committee on Tuesday and said the First Amendment allowed her to call out city spending on people who are in the country illegally.

“That’s more that can be said for this local government that prioritizes unlawful immigration policies over the rights of its own citizens,” Leigh said.

Leigh said the reason the city has no money is because it spend so much on “illegal aliens.”

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