Chicago, Illinois leaders prepare for fight over Trump's immigration plans
CHICAGO - Donald Trump named former Immigration and Customs Enforcement director Tom Homan as his "border czar," who says he will carry out the president's mass deportation of undocumented immigrants whether cities like Chicago cooperate or not.
"This is the largest national security threat since 9/11 and we have to fix it," Homan told Fox News on Monday.
Chicago Deputy Mayor for Immigration Beatriz Ponce De Leon says Chicago will stay a sanctuary for undocumented residents, prohibiting local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration officials.
"The mayor has made clear he's not going to flinch, we have a welcoming city ordinance, we have protections in place, we're going to do our best to keep those protections in place," Ponce De Leon said.
Chicago Democratic Congresswoman Delia Ramirez, who has undocumented family members, says the battle lines are drawn.
"I think this is going to really for some of us mean to be in the trenches, protecting communities, holding the line, and in some cases with our own bodies," Ramirez said.
Last week, a defiant Governor JB Pritzker vowed to sue the federal government if it decided to hold up federal public safety funding as punishment for not cooperating, saying he would protect the state's status as a safe haven.
"You come for my people, you come through me," Pritzker said on Thursday.
But House Republican leader Tony McCombie says undocumented immigrants are costing the state billions, and wants Pritzker to rethink his opposition.
"I think we're up to $2.75 billion, and we're looking at a projected $620 million for FY 25, so I'd certainly think he’d want to work with the federal government regardless of politics," McCombie said.
The battle has immigrant rights organizations gearing up to defend undocumented residents, reminding them of their legal rights.
"You have the right not to open your door unless an ICE agent shows you a warrant, you have the right to remain silent, you have the right to not sign documents you don't understand, you have the right to consult with a lawyer, all of these rights are guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution," said Fred Tsao, senior policy counsel for the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights.
Chicago successfully sued the first Trump administration and won when it decided to withhold public safety funding, setting a precedent for future legal battles the city will likely find itself in.
Homan has declared a return of workplace immigration raids, starting with those deemed a threat to public safety.