Chicago Mayor Vows to Shield Migrants From Raids by U.S. Agents

By Kim Chipman
Bloomberg
June 21, 2019, 8:10 PM EDT

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot condemned the Trump administration over planned raids of migrant communities and said she had ordered police to cut federal agents’ access to databases related to immigration enforcement activities.

“We are all aware of the threat from President Trump regarding raids by ICE, and in response, Chicago has taken concrete steps to support our immigrant communities,” Lightfoot said in a statement on Friday, referring to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Lightfoot, who took office in May, said she had told ICE officials that the Chicago Police Department “will not cooperate with or facilitate any ICE enforcement actions.”

“Chicago will always be a welcoming city and a champion for the rights of our immigrant and refugee communities,” Lightfoot added.

The White House did not respond to requests for comment on reports of the raids.

President Donald Trump has directed ICE agents to conduct a roundup of migrant families that have received deportation orders, an operation that is likely to start in large U.S. cities on Sunday, the Washington Post reported, citing three unidentified officials.

Earlier: Trump Deportations to Start With Migrants Who Defy Court Orders

In a statement on Friday, the agency said that “due to law-enforcement sensitivities and the safety and security of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel, the agency will not offer specific details related to enforcement operations.”

“As always, ICE prioritizes the arrest and removal of unlawfully present aliens who pose a threat to national security, public safety and border security,” ICE added in the statement.

— With assistance by Josh Wingrove