
As Donald Trump is inaugurated for a second term, key figures in Chicago's political landscape are bracing for impact. Mayor Brandon Johnson and Gov. JB Pritzker are setting their stances firm against Trump's anticipated policies, particularly on immigration enforcement and public safety funding. The potential rise in deportation raids and the threat to sanctuary cities signal a clash imminent between federal mandates and local resistance.
Johnson and Pritzker are not shying away from this confrontation. "Very soon, we'll begin the largest deportation operation in American history," Tom Homan, Trump’s “border czar" vowed this, as reported by WTTW News. According to a statement obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times, Mayor Johnson expressed, "We have an ordinance that we uphold. It’s a Welcoming City ordinance. Of course, we worked hard to make sure that that ordinance would not be compromised." Despite rumors of the impending action by ICE, Chicago stands resolute in maintaining its sanctuary policies.
Adding to the tension, Trump has promised to take swift action immediately upon entering office.
One significant concern arises with the funding for public transportation. The Red Line extension project, crucial to Chicago's connectivity, is thankfully safeguarded with federal transit grant money amounting to $1.9 billion. Yet, the larger deficit faced by Chicago's transit agencies could worsen as the Trump administration, backed by the Heritage Foundation's Project 2025, aims to slash federal assistance and halt efforts tied to climate change initiatives.
On the front of reproductive rights, the stakes run equally high. Illinois has been a bastion for access to reproductive and gender-affirming health care, attracting individuals from states where abortion faced bans. However, Project 2025's ambition for a national abortion ban adds another layer of complexity to Chicago's defense against federal encroachment on these services.