Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson Prepares to Defend Sanctuary City Status on Capitol Hill

Image credits: ABC7 Chicago

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is gearing up to defend the city's sanctuary city status before a Republican-led House committee on Capitol Hill, with former mayors and officials offering advice on how to navigate the hearing. Johnson will appear before the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on March 5 to defend the city's law that restricts police from detaining people solely based on their immigration status. The hearing is expected to be contentious, with GOP lawmakers setting the stage for a divisive debate. Former Mayors Rahm Emanuel and Lori Lightfoot are among those advising Johnson on how to handle questioning from some of Congress's most outspoken, far-right representatives.

Johnson has pulled no punches against Lightfoot or Emanuel in the past, nor Lightfoot against Johnson, but everyone involved appears to be putting local rivalries aside to strike a supportive tone as the city prepares for the main stage. The unlikely cast of characters banding together to support Johnson could be one indicator of how the hearing might be a political boon. In the face of personal attacks, Johnson may appear sympathetic to his critics, and a strong performance may score him points back home. Johnson's senior adviser, Jason Lee, said the mayor's demeanor will be "dignified, respectful, calm" and that he is prepared to defend the city's sanctuary law and challenge Congress to pass immigration reform laws.

The hearing will feature five-minute opening statements from the chair, ranking member, and each witness, followed by five-minute rounds of questioning from each of the members present. The committee is made up of 26 Republicans and 21 Democrats, featuring some of the House of Representatives' most well-known and controversial firebrands. Johnson will work to highlight the nuances of the city's sanctuary law, which prevents police from asking someone for their immigration status or holding someone beyond their release date without a warrant to give ICE time to arrive. The law does not allow police officers to impede enforcement officials from carrying out an arrest warrant, and the Chicago Police Department speaks regularly with Immigration and Customs Enforcement when they are carrying out deportations in the city.

Johnson has also sought advice from a group of community organizers, including civil rights attorneys and immigration advocates, and plans to meet with Arne Duncan, a civic leader in Chicago and former U.S. Secretary of Education. Duncan's adviser, Peter Cunningham, said Duncan "always believes in highlighting where our interests converge instead of where they diverge," and that Duncan and the mayor speak regularly. The American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois has warned that Johnson is likely to face harsh criticism and cheap shots during the hearing, and Alderman Andre Vasquez has offered advice on how to prepare for the questioning. Former Congressman Luis Gutierrez has questioned whether Johnson is ready for the barrage of questions he will face, but Johnson's team is preparing him for his moment in the spotlight.

The stakes are high, with a current lawsuit by the Trump administration against the city aiming to invalidate portions of both local and state protections and arguing that the laws are "deliberately impeding" federal immigration enforcement. Johnson's testimony could have significant implications for the city's sanctuary law and its relationship with federal immigration authorities. As the city prepares for the hearing, Johnson's team is working to mitigate any harm and not give congressional Republicans what they want. The sanctuary city law is a key part of Chicago's immigration policy, and Johnson's defense of it will be closely watched. The hearing is also expected to highlight the political divisions between Democrats and Republicans on the issue of immigration reform.