Chicago ICE-Free Zones: What Residents Need To Know
Chicago ICE-Free Zones: What Residents Need To Know About The New Order
On Oct. 6, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson signed a bold new executive order establishing the city’s first-ever “ICE-Free Zones,” a sweeping move to prevent federal immigration enforcement agents from using any city-owned property for operations targeting undocumented immigrants.
The order is a major expansion of Johnson’s Protecting Chicago initiative, which aims to make information and resources available to every resident, “regardless of background, immigration status, or neighborhood, to live with safety, dignity, and peace of mind.”
The measure comes in direct response to “Operation Midway Blitz,” a large-scale multi-agency operation led by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that launched Sept. 8. The initiative claims to target “criminal illegal aliens” in Chicago and throughout Illinois, and has resulted in the detention of close to 550 people, but not without controversy. Despite assurances from the Department of Homeland Security that the operation is focused on violent offenders, multiple discrepancies in arrests have surfaced, with reports of unlawful detentions.
In a statement shared Monday, Mayor Johnson said he wouldn’t stand for ICE agents violating the constitutional rights of lawful residents.
“Nor will we allow the federal government to disregard our local authority,” he continued. “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.”
Here’s what you need to know about Chicago’s ICE-Free Zones.
Why now?
The executive order comes after reports surfaced that federal agents were using city-owned spaces, including Chicago Public Schools parking lots and a municipal lot at Harrison and Kedzie, as staging grounds for immigration raids, the mayor explained on Monday. This use of public resources directly violates Chicago’s Welcoming City Ordinance, which prohibits city employees from inquiring about residents’ immigration status or cooperating with civil immigration enforcement, unless compelled to do so by a court order or federal law.
The concern, Mayor Johnson highlighted, is that such actions erode trust between immigrant communities and the city, making it harder to ensure safety and effective policing.
What does the executive order do?
Under the order, all city departments and agencies are required to identify any property that has been or could potentially be used by ICE for immigration enforcement operations. These locations must display clear signage stating: “This property is owned and/or controlled by the City of Chicago” and “It may not be used for civil immigration enforcement, including as a: Staging area. Processing location, [or] Operations base.”
City agencies and departments must implement the order within five days, which may include physical measures such as locking gates to restrict access. Additionally, all city employees are obligated to report any attempted use of city property by federal agents, with such reports being submitted directly to the Mayor’s Office and the Corporation Counsel.
Additionally, private property owners and leaseholders can now participate in the initiative. The city will provide free signage to display on private property, clearly stating that the area may not be used for civil immigration enforcement. “Know Your Rights” materials will also be distributed to help residents, workers, and tenants understand their legal rights when confronted by federal agents.
Why it matters for residents
Mayor Johnson’s order is part of a broader effort to protect immigrant rights, reinforce local control, and safeguard community trust. particularly as federal operations continue to raise alarm among advocacy groups and local officials. This policy does not prohibit lawful federal activity unrelated to immigration enforcement. But it does set firm boundaries: Chicago city property cannot be used to conduct civil immigration raids.
“Under Mayor Johnson’s leadership, the city is taking proactive steps to maintain essential trust between immigrant communities and local law enforcement while ensuring every Chicagoan can feel safe while accessing city services,” the city’s website stated on Monday.
Implementation is already underway, and residents should expect to see official signage on city properties in the coming days. Private businesses and organizations can request materials to participate in the Protecting Chicago initiative. As political tensions grow between local and federal authorities, the ICE-Free Zones policy marks a defining moment in Chicago’s stance as a sanctuary city, and it’s a clear sign of the mayor’s commitment to stand with immigrant communities in the face of federal crackdowns.
Public backlash & political clash
The move has ignited fierce political backlash from the Trump Administration. On the White House website, the president and his camp denounced the policy in harsh terms, writing, “Today, in a disgusting betrayal of every law-abiding citizen, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson declared city spaces as ‘ICE-free zones.’ Johnson’s pathetic excuse that enforcing our nation’s immigration laws somehow ‘undermines community trust’ exposes his true loyalty: to criminal illegal alien predators, not the terrified families of Chicago.”
They added, “Shielding the most depraved, violent criminal illegal aliens from justice is not only an insult to every Chicagoan, it’s also a dangerous intensification of Democrats’ lunatic ‘sanctuary’ agenda where criminal illegals come before American citizens.”
The comments didn’t stop Mayor Johnson from taking further steps to protect Chicago residents. After signing the executive order, both Johnson and Governor JB Pritzker filed a lawsuit to block the Trump administration from deploying hundreds of National Guard troops in and around Chicago as part of the escalating federal operation, according to Fox News.
This legal action mirrors similar lawsuits in California, Oregon, and other Democratic-led states that accuse the Trump administration of attempting to “federalize” local law enforcement and override state authority.
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