Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson (D.) during a congressional hearing Wednesday defended his city’s sanctuary policies, claiming they make the city safer because "undocumented immigrants come forward to report crimes."
Chicago is "safer because of our Welcoming City Ordinance," Johnson told the Republican-led House Oversight Committee, referring to an ordinance that prohibits any city agency or official from arresting or detaining illegal immigrants for their immigration status. "When there is trust between cities, residents, and the police, undocumented immigrants come forward to report crimes to local law enforcement and provide information that helps the police solve those crimes."
Rep. James Comer (R., Ky.), the chairman of the House committee, disagreed. Policies like Johnson's "only create sanctuary for criminals," Comer said at the hearing.
While violent crime in Chicago decreased slightly in 2024 compared with the year before, it has been trending upward for a decade, and aggravated assaults hit an all-time high, the Illinois Policy Institute reported in January.
Johnson's remarks come as the mayor faces historic levels of voter disapproval, with an overwhelming 79.9 percent of Chicago residents disapproving of Johnson's leadership—largely over his handling of the city's migrant crisis and his pushing back against President Donald Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration.
Only 6.6 percent of residents view Johnson favorably, and just 8.2 percent support his reelection. The mayor's favorability rating is even lower than in October of last year, when he became the most unpopular mayor in Chicago history.
Democratic mayors Michelle Wu of Boston, Mike Johnston of Denver, and Eric Adams of New York also testified Wednesday about their cities' sanctuary policies. The Justice Department has sued New York State, Illinois, and Chicago, arguing that their sanctuary laws "interfere" with the Trump administration's immigration enforcement.