During a Monday press conference, the left-wing Democrat mayor excoriated Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers as “a rogue, reckless group of heavily armed, masked individuals” and claimed to have made certain parts of the city off-limits to federal law enforcement officers.
Johnson claimed that his order “establishes ICE-free zones.”
“In recent weeks, federal agents used several City-owned properties — including parking lots near Harrison and Kedzie, and a vacant lot at 46th and Damen — as staging sites for immigration enforcement. Such use of City property undermines community trust and runs counter to Chicago’s Welcoming City Ordinance, which ensures that all residents — regardless of immigration status — can live, work, and seek services without fear,” Johnson bloviated.
“That means that city property and unwilling private businesses will no longer serve as staging grounds for these raids,” the mayor added.
🚨 Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson just announced he signed an executive order creating “ICE Free Zones” to ban ICE agents from city property.
This is SICK. He is aiding and abetting criminal illegal immigrant killers, rapists, traffickers, and gang bangers. pic.twitter.com/LaMbxaqePP
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 6, 2025
At the press conference, Johnson blasted the Trump administration.
“We have a rogue, reckless group of heavily armed, masked individuals roaming throughout our city that are not accountable to the people of Chicago,” he exclaimed. “Their actions put all Chicagoans at risk.”
“Our school parking lots are not for ICE to load their weapons; they are for Chicagoans who drop their kids off to learn,” he said. “Our libraries are not for ICE to prepare for a raid; they’re for Chicagoans to read and relax. Our parks are not for ICE to set up checkpoints; they are for Chicagoans to play and enjoy.”
The mayor’s office later followed up by posting the order to social media.
“We will not tolerate ICE agents violating our residents’ constitutional rights nor will we allow the federal government to disregard our local authority.” Johnson’s office said after he signed this likely illegal order meant to impede federal law enforcement. “ICE agents are detaining elected officials, tear-gassing protestors, children, and Chicago police officers, and abusing Chicago residents. We will not stand for that in our city. With this Executive Order, Chicago stands firm in protecting the Constitutional rights of our residents and immigrant communities and upholding our democracy.”
We will not tolerate ICE agents violating our residents’ constitutional rights nor will we allow the federal government to disregard our local authority. ICE agents are detaining elected officials, tear-gassing protestors, children, and Chicago police officers, and abusing… pic.twitter.com/qDXR7hYYpl
— Mayor Brandon Johnson (@ChicagosMayor) October 6, 2025
Johnson also escalated his dangerous, violent rhetoric by claiming that center-right Americans “want a re-match of the Civil War” and that Trump has “declared war on the people of Chicago and people across America.”
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson: “The right wing of this country wants a REMATCH of the Civil War… The President has declared war on the people of Chicago and people across America.”
Democrats think upholding the law is tantamount to starting a war…pic.twitter.com/kLb8kO4slr
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) October 6, 2025