During a House Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing on sanctuary cities at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC, Chicago’s Mayor Brandon Johnson was seen attentively participating. Later, on Saturday, he took a significant step towards ensuring the autonomy of his city. Mayor Johnson enacted an executive order insisting that President Donald Trump desist from his threats of deploying the National Guard in Chicago.
This new directive, known as the Protecting Chicago Initiative, has been introduced due to the increasingly believable threats of military presence in the city. The initiative urges the city to exhaust all legal and legislative pathways to prevent the deployment. Brandon Johnson expressed a sense of urgency, expressing regret that the circumstances did not allow for a more cooperative approach to solve the issue via legislation.
Mayor Johnson voiced his concerns about the immediacy of the situation, stating that we are contending with a threat that is not weeks away, but could be imminent within days. The reports the city received suggested a quick administration of a militarized presence by the federal government.
Despite the grave concern emanating from Chicago, the White House response was dismissive. Spokeswoman Abigail Jackson was critical of the executive order, speaking to the Sun Times about the prioritization in major cities. She made it clear that if officials like Mayor Johnson focused their energy on combating crime within their cities, instead of creating public spectacles aimed at the president, their constituencies would be far safer.
The order passed by Mayor Johnson, however, underscores the importance of a locally managed police organization within Chicago. The mayor doesn’t endorse a militarized approach to managing the city. He conveyed his stance clearly, stating his disapproval of military checkpoints and armored vehicles in Chicago streets, and stressing how disruptive and harmful it would be to tear families apart.
The order also contains a clause instructing federal law enforcement and the U.S. Armed Forces to adhere to municipal laws. This includes provisions such as not disguising their identities, using body cameras during any civilian engagements, and prominently displaying identifying information, including their agency name, their own last name, and badge number.
Mayor Johnson once again brought focus to his verbal opposition to the militarized threats. He maintained that no one in his city wants to wake up to tanks rolling down their streets, or families falling apart due to enforcement actions.
Chicago has been declared as a sanctuary city since the mid-eighties. This means that local law enforcement’s collaboration with federal immigration authorities is kept to a minimum. This puts the role, significance, and adherence to this status under extreme scrutiny in the present political climate.
Adding to the voices in opposition of a federal response is Illinois Governor JB Pritzer. With crime rates in the city showing a significant decline, Pritzer argues that federal intervention is not required. He showed his disapproval of President Trump’s moves, labeling them as perilous and out of line with American values.
Moreover, data from the past few years supports Governor Pritzer’s contention that the situation in Chicago is not as grim as painted. From 2019 to 2025, there was a notable bigger drop in homicides in the city compared to the national average. The areas most affected by crime are certain neighborhoods on the South and West sides of the city, not the city center.
Despite the optimistic crime trends in Chicago and the strong objections raised by local authorities, President Trump has continued to critique the Illinois management. He has openly expressed displeasure towards Governor Pritzer in particular, regarding how he has handled the situation on the ground.
The post Chicago’s Mayor Johnson Battles White House Over Troops in the City appeared first on Real News Now.
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