Mayor Brandon Johnson has attributed the escalating migrant crisis in Chicago to the policies of his predecessor, Lori Lightfoot, asserting that he “inherited” the surge in immigration from the prior administration.
During a recent press conference introducing the “Unity Initiative,” an interfaith collaboration involving 17 churches to accommodate immigrants from police stations, Johnson addressed the issue.
Chicago, akin to many other Democratic-led cities, has encountered an influx of 20,000 immigrants in the past 14 months from states along the southern border. With thousands of these immigrants currently housed in airports and police stations, the Johnson administration is striving to establish permanent housing before the onset of winter.
Speaking on “the international crisis that I inherited six months ago,” Johnson emphasized his commitment to relocate individuals, particularly women and children, from police districts to provide them with more dignified accommodations. He highlighted the challenge of navigating this situation without the City Council budgeting resources for the 2023 migrant mission upon his assumption of office in May.
Johnson also criticized the previous City Council for not allocating funds toward the migrant mission. During Lightfoot’s tenure, the city faced severe criticism for surging crime rates, declining police strength, and contentious relationships with entities like the Chicago Teachers Union and City Council members.
“Did you know when I was sworn in in May, the previous City Council did not budget for 2023’s migrant mission,” the mayor added. “So, not only have we stood up the full force of government in a collaborative way, we did it without the previous City Council even providing resources for it.”
Under Lightfoot’s administration, crime rates soared by 42%, although murder rates experienced a 14% decrease in 2022 compared to the previous year. Nevertheless, approximately 800 homicides occurred during her tenure, while over 1,500 officers left the Chicago police force.
In his recent remarks, Johnson also pointed fingers at the “far Right,” accusing them of targeting democratically-led cities, especially those led by people of color. He denounced the exploitation of people for political gains and expressed frustration with the persistence of extremism using historical grievances as fuel for political agendas.
“What we’ve seen is a very raggedy form of right-wing extremism,” Johnson said. “Everyone knows that the right-wing extremism in this country has targeted democratically-run cities, and quite frankly, they have been quite intentional about going after democratically-ran cities that are led by people of color.”
Tensions surrounding the migrant crisis have escalated since Johnson assumed office. In response to the situation, the Chicago City Council allocated $51 million from the budget surplus in May to address the inflow of immigrants from Texas, a move that drew substantial backlash from Republicans.
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Since assuming office, Johnson has advocated for tax hikes to aid homelessness, authorized the establishment of permanent tent camps for immigrants, and urged the government to expedite work permits for immigrants.
His recent budget, passed on Nov. 15, allocates $150 million to assist asylum-seekers, a significant decline from initial estimates of over $360 million. Moreover, investments in homelessness initiatives will rise to $250 million, with an additional $100 million allocated for anti-violence programs.
Amidst these developments, Alderman Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, a Johnson ally, resigned as the Chicago City Council’s floor leader. Allegations surfaced that Ramirez-Rosa “manhandled” a councilwoman to prevent her attendance at a meeting discussing the city’s sanctuary status and immigration crisis.
Shortly after, the mayor cast a tie breaking vote against censuring Ramirez-Rosa.
