Washington, D.C. – Congressman Darin LaHood (IL-16) questioned Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson at the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform’s hearing with mayors from sanctuary cities to discuss their failure to enforce federal immigration laws.
Click to watch Rep. LaHood’s full remarks
“During my time as an elected official, I have strongly condemned the policy around sanctuary cities and the impact that it has had on the state of Illinois,” said Rep. LaHood. “I believe that every sensible resident in Illinois knows these policies have further harmed the economy in Illinois, increased crime throughout our state, and endangered hard-working law-abiding Illinois citizens.
“I want to turn my attention to you, Mayor Brandon Johnson of Chicago. As I have watched you over the last two years that you have been mayor, I have been amazed at how tone-deaf you have been and how oblivious you have been to the decline of Chicago, and I say that looking objectively at a number of things. Out-of-control crime in Chicago. People are scared throughout neighborhoods on the west side, south side, and north side. Morale has never been lower with law enforcement and CPD, a record number of police officers leaving the force. We have been hemorrhaging people out of the city of Chicago to the suburbs and elsewhere where they feel safe. Record number of businesses fleeing the city of Chicago. You couple that with record deficits, a $2 billion deficit line of credit that you just had to take out this week, but you have spent $300 million of taxpayer money on illegal immigrants.
“And when I think about all of those things and I look at the strategy you are continuing to take, you are putting the interest of illegal immigrants above the interest of taxpayers in Chicago. But you continue to go down this path, and for the life of me, I can’t understand it.”
Background:
The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform held a hearing with Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, and New York City Mayor Eric Adams on the failure of sanctuary city policies.
While Rep. LaHood does not serve on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, he was granted a waiver to speak on the committee to question Mayor Johnson.
On February 6th, President Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi sued the state of Illinois, the City of Chicago, and Cook County for its refusal to enforce federal immigration laws.
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