As turmoil unfolds amidst the incoming administration's plans for immigration enforcement, President-elect Donald Trump's newly minted border czar Tom Homan has laid out a blueprint of mass deportations that are slated to surge from the heartland of Chicago, stirring a robust political clash; he has Chicago and Illinois officials firmly in his sights according to recent remarks obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times.
Speaking at a Northwest Side GOP gathering, Tom Homan unambiguously critiqued Mayor Brandon Johnson and Governor JB Pritzker saying "Chicago’s in trouble because your mayor sucks and your governor sucks" as he advocated for cooperation on his aggressive immigration crackdown, while concurrently delivering a polarizing message, "If he doesn’t want to help, get the hell out of the way," he addressed to Johnson who remains steadfast in protecting the city's immigrants, reported the Chicago Sun-Times.
Despite the clear predicament it presents to cities that are considered sanctuaries for undocumented immigrants, the Trump-associated official volleyed the idea that this plan is anything but lawful and methodical, aiming to target those harboring criminals with a possible consequence of family separations, though not intentional it "may happen" Homan stated as he echoed the President-elect's controversial proposition to end birthright citizenship, a concept embedded in the U.S. Constitution's 14th Amendment, in an interview featured in the Chicago Sun-Times.
Homan's visit, which heralded a staunch stance against illegal immigration was welcomed by Chicago Republican supporters according to ABC7 Chicago, where local GOP Chairman Chuck Hernandez expressed favor citing "People need to know that this is a country with laws, and we're going to have order," symbolizing the party's backing of Trump's pledge for stricter border control.
In an immediate riposte, Chicago Mayor Johnson has repeatedly reassured the city's sanctuary ethos and protection of migrants within, while Governor Pritzker, through spokesman Alex Gough, took a less confrontational yet resolute tone stating, "It’s no secret that Illinois will face countless, baseless attacks over the next four years from the Trump Administration," signaling that Illinois might engage in legal actions against potential punitive measures like withholding federal grants as disclosed in the statements provided by both the Chicago Sun-Times and ABC7 Chicago.
