Chicago: ICYMI: Mayor Brandon Johnson Slams Trump Administration For Corruption, Unnecessary Provocation In “War On The Poor”
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CHICAGO ~ Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, along with other city and state leaders, held a press conference in response to reports of heavily armed immigration enforcement in downtown Chicago. The mayor was joined by Governor JB Pritzker, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, and Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as well as community, business, labor, and civic leaders.

During the press conference, Mayor Johnson called out the Trump administration for their corruption and profiteering from private prison corporations who benefit from the detention of undocumented residents. He spoke about the fear and uncertainty that has gripped immigrant communities in Chicago due to the actions of federal immigration officers.

"I've spoken with parents in Pilsen and Little Village, business owners on Devon, elders in Uptown," said Mayor Johnson. "They are too scared to take their children to school, are losing business, and are too afraid to attend church because—even those with legal status—are afraid of the reckless actions they have seen online."

The mayor emphasized that this is not about public safety or immigration but rather a continuation of the Trump administration's war on the poor. He also highlighted the fact that more than 90% of immigration detention centers are run by private, for-profit corporations.

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Mayor Johnson called for an independent investigator to review all contracts related to ICE detention centers in Chicago, Cook County, and the state of Illinois to ensure there has been no corruption or bribery involved.

"This is the agency that Trump and Republicans just handed a $170 billion-dollar blank-check with little to no oversight," said Mayor Johnson. "And the guy they put in charge of that funding can be bought for $50,000 in cash."

He also pointed out that while essential programs like Medicaid and SNAP are being cut by the Trump administration, more than 330,000 people in Illinois will lose healthcare access and over 427,000 residents are at risk of losing food assistance.

"At a time when they are cutting hundreds of millions of dollars from healthcare, public health, housing, and defunding public education—manufacturing austerity," said Mayor Johnson. "The Trump administration is worsening poverty and at the same time declaring war on the poor."

The press conference was held in response to a recent show of force by federal immigration officers in Chicago. During their patrol, officers targeted street vendors, construction workers, and even chased a delivery worker who exercised his First Amendment right to criticize the government. In one arrest, agents made a young girl act as a translator while they took her family into custody.

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These actions come as federal detentions of individuals with no criminal record have increased 488% under the Trump administration. And according to federal government data, 72% of those currently held in detention have no criminal record.

Mayor Johnson's call for an independent investigation into ICE contracts is also fueled by recent revelations that Tom Homan, Trump's so-called "border czar," accepted a $50,000 bribe from undercover FBI agents in exchange for lucrative detention center contracts. The Department of Justice has since moved to close the probe investigating Homan's conduct.

In conclusion, Mayor Johnson and other city and state leaders are standing up against the unnecessary provocation and fear-mongering tactics used by the Trump administration. They are calling for accountability and transparency in all ICE operations in Chicago to ensure that corruption and profiteering do not continue at the expense of immigrant communities and the poor.

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