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Mayor Brandon Johnson questioned on city budget proposal
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson handled questions about his city budget proposal during a press briefing Tuesday morning at City Hall.
CHICAGO - Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson called President-elect Donald Trump a "threat to everything that is sensible," while claiming Trump wants to dismantle public education and create a system of "upheaval and chaos."
Johnson spoke to reporters Tuesday and took the opportunity to weigh in on his feelings about the incoming president, especially his stance on immigration and sanctuary cities.
The mayor acknowledged the country’s challenge with immigration policy, suggesting Trump pass laws instead of making threats.
"We're still a welcoming city. That did not change on Nov. 5, and it doesn't change based upon who's in the White House and whether you are seeking refuge from Central South America or the continent of Africa," Johnson said. "This country has to remain a welcoming space for new arrivals and for immigrants."
Johnson said if Trump is committed to transforming the U.S., he will work with Congress to create "sensible" legislation that puts more border patrol and judges at the border for asylum cases. But, instead, Johnson claimed, the president and others have done the opposite and tried to create chaos.
"He wants to create a structure in a system where there is upheaval and chaos," Johnson said before turning to public education. "He wants to dismantle public education, a system that was built by descendants of slaves, particularly in the south. He is a threat to everything that is sensible."
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Gov. Pritzker says he will try to protect Illinois against Trump policies
Governor J.B. Pritzker says he defended the state of Illinois last time Trump was in office and that he expects that will continue during his second presidency.
Karoline Leavitt, spokesperson for the Trump-Vance transition team, told Fox News Digital, "No policy should be deemed official unless it comes directly from President Trump.
"The American people re-elected President Trump by a resounding margin, giving him a mandate to implement the promises he made on the campaign trail," Leavitt added. "He will deliver."
Still, Johnson continued to pit Trump against the city of Chicago.
The mayor said he will not allow Trump to play games with the people of the city.
"If he wants to work with us, he’ll have a partner," Johnson said. "But if he wants to come and threaten us, then he is … he has declared opposition to us."
Johnson’s comments come a week after he claimed during another news conference that Trump is a threat to Black families.
"His threat is not just towards new arrivals and undocumented families. His threats are also against Black families. … We're going to protect undocumented individuals," Johnson said at the time. "We're going to protect Black folks, Brown folks, Asian folks. The City of Chicago will be better, stronger and safer despite who's in the White House."
Johnson cuts property tax hike in half with latest budget proposal
Mayor Brandon Johnson laid out his latest 2025 budget proposal for Chicago on Tuesday, which includes a $150 million property tax hike.
Locals blistered the Chicago City Council at a meeting in February after city and state officials had approved hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to feed, clothe and house more than 35,000 migrants who were transported to Chicago and its suburbs in the previous year and a half.
The mayor's office did not immediately reply to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Fox News Digital’s Gabriel Hays and Elizabeth Heckman contributed to this report.