Tensions flared in Chicago as Mayor Brandon Johnson lashed out at a reporter for using the term “illegal alien” during a press conference on city spending related to migrants. The Democratic mayor denounced the phrase as “racist” and “nasty,” sparking fresh debate over the language used to describe immigration violations.
When asked about a report on funding for “illegal aliens” in Chicago, Johnson interrupted sharply. “We don’t have illegal aliens,” he said. “I don’t know if that’s from some sort of sci-fi message that you wish you’ve had… Well listen, the legal term for my people were slaves. You want me to use that term too? So, look, let’s just get the language right. We’re talking about undocumented individuals that are human beings.”
The mayor continued, saying he would not “accept that type of racist, nasty language to describe human beings.” Johnson then shifted focus to his proposed $16.7 billion budget, emphasizing investments in education, housing, and transportation while calling for “the ultra-wealthy to pay their fair share.”
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), defended Johnson’s response, claiming immigration violations are civil, not criminal, matters. “Undocumented presence in the United States is not a criminal offense,” she said.
Johnson has previously criticized President Donald Trump’s border enforcement policies, claiming that “law enforcement is a sickness that has not led to safe communities.” His comments come amid a series of violent crimes in Illinois tied to illegal immigrants. Just last week, three illegal immigrants and six U.S. citizens were arrested in what the Department of Homeland Security called “one of the most violent days” of Operation Midway Blitz, a crackdown targeting “criminal illegal aliens terrorizing Americans in sanctuary Illinois.”
