Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson took a firm stand against the federal government’s looming immigration enforcement measures by signing an executive order on August 30, 2025, aimed at resisting President Donald Trump’s plan to deploy federal agents and possibly National Guard troops to Chicago.
Johnson’s executive order explicitly demands that President Trump and federal agents desist from sending U.S. Armed Forces, including the National Guard, into Chicago. The mayor further directed all city departments to refrain from collaborating with federal immigration enforcement efforts, signaling a strong municipal stance in protecting residents’ constitutional rights.
At a City Hall press conference announcing the order, Johnson emphasized the importance of safeguarding Chicagoans against what he described as an “out-of-control” federal operation. “We will protect our constitution. We will protect our city. And we will protect our people,” Johnson affirmed. He warned against militarization, stating, “We do not want to see tanks in our streets. We do not want to see families ripped apart.”
The executive order mandates that Chicago Police Department officers must wear visible identification and prohibits them from wearing masks, a direct response to federal officers’ increasing use of face coverings. It also forbids Chicago law enforcement from participating in joint patrols, arrests, traffic stops, or checkpoints related to immigration enforcement under the federal crackdown.
Highlighting the city’s commitment to civil liberties, all city departments were also instructed not to engage in any enforcement actions that might violate Chicagoans’ rights to peaceably assemble or protest. Johnson asserted the city will explore every legal and legislative measure to counteract federal actions violating residents’ constitutional protections, including due process and the right to protest.
According to sources, the federal surge could begin as soon as September 5 and last approximately 30 days, potentially expanding to include the deployment of over 2,000 National Guard troops and federal officers, as previously seen in cities like Los Angeles amid similar crackdowns.
Johnson’s opposition to the federal plan is rooted in Chicago’s history as a sanctuary city and Illinois’ strong policies against cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. The mayor remarked during the news conference that he does not take orders from the federal government and labeled President Trump as “the biggest threat to our democracy that we’ve experienced in the history of our country.”
In contrast, the White House defended the federal enforcement plans as efforts to address crime, with spokeswoman Abigail Jackson stating that the crackdown would make communities safer if local leaders prioritized fixing crime rather than criticizing the president.
Chicago has one of the largest immigrant populations in the nation, and previous federal enforcement attempts have often been met with resistance both from city officials and the wider community. Mayor Johnson’s executive order represents a continuation of Chicago’s longstanding protective stance toward immigrant residents amid federal immigration enforcement measures.