CHICAGO – Today Mayor Brandon Johnson signed a sweeping executive order establishing the Protecting Chicago Initiative, a cross-departmental effort to protect the constitutional rights of Chicagoans amidst the possibility of imminent militarized immigration or National Guard deployment by the federal government into Chicago. The Protect Chicago Initiative builds on months of planning work across departments and will establish campaigns to inform Chicagoans of their rights and to utilize legal action and legislation to prevent any attempts to systematically violate the rights of Chicagoans. 

The order demands that President Donald Trump stand down from his threat to deploy National Guard personnel to Chicago and affirms that the Chicago Police Department (CPD) will remain a locally controlled law enforcement agency under the authority of the City of Chicago and Mayor Johnson. The order affirms that CPD will not cooperate with or enable any unlawful or unconstitutional actions undertaken by federal law enforcement or U.S. Armed Forces within the City of Chicago.  

"The City of Chicago will do everything in our power to defend our democracy and protect our communities,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “With this executive order, we send a resounding message to the federal government: we do not need nor want an unconstitutional and illegal military occupation of our city. We will take any action necessary to protect the rights of Chicagoans. Protecting Chicago is the next step in the work we have been doing to defend our city from federal overreach and illegal action." 

Today’s announcement represents one of the most drastic executive actions taken across the country in response to the escalating threats from the federal government. The order reaffirms the City of Chicago’s commitment to community safety policies rooted in investment in violence prevention, education, economic opportunity, mental health support, and constitutional policing which respects the civil rights of all Chicago residents. The order is in line with the desires of the vast majority of Chicagoans, who continue to reject a military occupation of the city.  

The deployment of federal military forces within Chicago, without the consent of local authorities, undermines democratic norms, threatens civil liberties, and risks escalated violence. As Mayor Johnson has stated repeatedly, the drastic and unwarranted act of deploying military personnel into our neighborhoods would only undermine the progress we’ve made driving down violent crime.  

In the event the Trump administration does follow through on their politically-motivated threats, Mayor Johnson’s executive order directs the City to pursue all available legal and legislative avenues to resist coordinated efforts by the federal government that violate the sovereignty of the City and the rights of its residents. 

THE PROTECTING CHICAGO INITIATIVE: 

The Johnson administration's Protecting Chicago Initiative coordinates the work of City Departments, agencies, and community partners to protect the constitutional rights of every Chicagoan while using every lever to mitigate the harm posed by the threatened actions of the federal government.  

The work of the Protecting Chicago Initiative will include, but is not limited to: 

• Ensuring accessible information is made readily available regarding residents’ rights when encountering potential immigration enforcement activities occurring at or near schools, hospitals, homeless shelters, places of worship and other sensitive locations. This information will be developed in direct response to the Trump Administration’s rescission of long-standing policy that prohibited immigration enforcement actions in sensitive areas.  
• Directing coordination with Departments and agencies, community, business and philanthropic partners, and the faith-based community, to identify and address community needs resulting from the threats of federal law enforcement and military deployment as well as federal budget cuts that drastically reduce funding for vital programs, including Medicaid and SNAP. 
• Regularly submitting Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), including but not limited to the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), to obtain information related to federal immigration enforcement activity within the city.  
• Cooperating with consular officers serving Chicagoans to document federal law enforcement activity and ensure that residents are exposed to Know Your Rights materials. 

UPHOLDING CPD INDEPENDENCE AND CONSTITUTIONAL POLICING: 

Mayor Johnson’s executive order ensures the Chicago Police Department will remain a locally controlled law enforcement agency under the authority of the City of Chicago. The order calls upon all federal law enforcement and U.S. Armed Forces personnel to abide by the policies laid out in municipal law and operational requirements of constitutional policing if they operate in Chicago.  

In the interest of community safety and accountability Mayor Johnson’s executive order urges all federal law enforcement and U.S. armed forces commanding offices and personnel who may be ordered to operate in Chicago adhere to the following policies and operational requirements CPD officers uphold everyday: 

• In Chicago, law enforcement cannot wear any mask, covering, or disguise intended to conceal their identities from the public while performing their official duties. 
• Personnel must legally wear body cameras and activate those cameras during all law enforcement-related activities during which the officer is interacting with a member of the public. 
• Personnel must legally display identifying information in a clearly visible fashion. This should include the name of the federal agency, last name, and badge number of the federal law enforcement officer, or the armed forces member’s last name and rank, respectively.   

The order reaffirms that all sworn CPD members, when engaged in any policing, crowd-control, or public-safety operations, must wear standard-issued uniforms or outer garments that clearly and conspicuously identify them as CPD officers. This requirement ensures that Chicago residents can readily distinguish CPD officers from federal law enforcement agents or members of the U.S Armed Forces. 

The strict emphasis the Johnson administration has placed on constitutional policing has led to renewed trust between local law enforcement and members of the community. As the City continues to implement policing strategies that respect the rights of our citizens, we’ve seen historic declines in violent crime driven by the community-centered safety initiatives the Johnson administration has implemented. 

Year to date, Chicago has recorded a 21.6% decline in overall violent crime, a 32.3% in homicides, a 31.9% decrease in robberies, and a 49% decrease in vehicular hijackings.  

This order does not restrict lawful and appropriate cooperation with federal law enforcement agencies (e.g., FBI, DEA, ATF) in matters consistent with applicable law and existing intergovernmental agreements. 

RENEWED KNOW YOUR RIGHTS AND FAMILY PREPAREDNESS EFFORT: 

Following the guidance and direction of the Protecting Chicago Initiative, the Mayor’s Office for Immigrant and Refugee Rights is reaffirming its efforts to ensure every Chicagoan and every family, regardless of their immigration status, are aware of the rights they have when interacting with federal law enforcement.  

The Mayor's Office is launching a Family Preparedness campaign which aims to educate families on how to prepare in the event of a detention by federal agents. In the event of enhanced immigration enforcement in Chicago, the City will continue to issue updated guidance to all Departments to ensure compliance with the Welcoming City Ordinance and the Illinois Trust Act. 

More than one in five Chicago residents is an immigrant, with communities representing every corner of the globe. These communities continue to power Chicago’s cultural, economic, and civic life. Their contributions remind us that immigration is not a threat to be managed but a legacy to be honored and a strength to be protected. 

The Mayor's Office is committed to sharing updated information with the public regarding potential National Guard and/or militarized immigration enforcement as it becomes available. The signed Executive Order will be posted on the City Clerk’s website. 

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