Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson openly admitted Wednesday that he is “in regular communication” with other Democrat mayors of so-called “sanctuary cities” to obstruct federal immigration enforcement. Because when federal law gets in the way, apparently the solution is a group chat.
Johnson’s comments came after President Donald Trump called for an end to sanctuary cities following a series of violent incidents in Minneapolis involving Department of Homeland Security personnel conducting immigration enforcement. Speaking at the National Press Club, Johnson said he has been coordinating with Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu on how to counter Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations.
“To respond to the operation in Chicago, I leaned heavily on other cities’ responses,” Johnson said, noting that Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass shared her experience governing while the city was “in Trump’s crosshairs.” Johnson added that he has been in regular communication with cities including Minneapolis, Portland, Oakland, Boston, Denver, and Baltimore to “develop strategies to protect our constituents.” Translation: strategies to keep ICE out.
The pushback comes as two fatal shootings — Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti — occurred during confrontations tied to “rapid-response” networks aimed at disrupting ICE operations. These networks reportedly monitor ICE vehicles, broadcast agent locations, and summon crowds to confront officers as they attempt to arrest illegal immigrants with criminal records, sometimes leading to physical clashes.
The shooting of Pretti, who had a concealed carry permit, remains under investigation, with two Border Patrol agents placed on administrative leave. Video from bystanders appeared to contradict initial statements by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, including footage that seemed to show one agent in possession of Pretti’s gun before shots were fired. Pretti’s neighbors said he was involved with an anti-ICE network, and he had been injured in a previous confrontation with ICE days earlier, suffering a broken rib.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu previously refused to cooperate with immigration enforcement, prompting a lawsuit from the Department of Justice. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said police there would not cooperate with federal immigration operations and later doubled down after meeting with border czar Tom Homan.
In Portland, anti-ICE rioters attacked conservative journalists covering violent protests at an ICE facility and reportedly planned to use lasers against federal aircraft. In Chicago, ICE agents have faced gunfire and vehicle-ramming attacks, and rioters targeted an ICE facility while calling for agents to be arrested or shot in videos posted online. Nothing says “peaceful resistance” like attempted murder.
Johnson also boasted about executive actions he has taken to block federal agents. In August, he signed what he called the city’s most sweeping executive order, creating “ICE-Free Zones” that prohibit ICE and Border Patrol from staging on city property or entering without a judicial warrant. He said Chicago worked with its law department and police to produce ICE-free zone signage and enforcement measures.
“We are working on additional measures that we believe will make Chicago the first city in the country to be able to effectively hold ICE and Border Patrol officers accountable for criminal misconduct,” Johnson added. Apparently, the plan is to arrest the people enforcing the law.
The picture is clear: Democrat mayors are coordinating to undermine federal immigration enforcement while chaos follows in their wake. President Trump’s message is just as clear — sanctuary cities are not above the law, and federal agents deserve cooperation, not hostility.
With the administration pushing for order and accountability, the effort to restore respect for immigration law is moving forward, and Americans can expect a renewed focus on safety, sovereignty, and the rule of law.
