Mayor signs 'Right to Protest' executive order amid rise of ICE agents in Chicago area
CHICAGO (WLS) -- On Tuesday, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson signed the "Right to Protest" executive order.
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Johnson said he taking proactive steps to protect the rights of people to publicly demonstrate in light of the recent ICE operations in and around Chicago.
The mayor kept his cool as he responded to reporter's questions on Tuesday. However, when he was asked about whether federal troops could help make Chicago's streets safer, it touched a nerve.
"The fact of the matter is, no one has asked me to send federal troops into this city to make it safe. It has never come up. It never came up during the campaign. It's never come up in the first two years," Johnson said.
The mayor's fiery comments comes as President Donald Trump once again flip flopped on sending the National Guard to Chicago.
"If they lose less than six or seven people a week with murder, they're doing a great job in their opinion," Trump said. "Chicago is a death trap, and I'm going to make it just like I did with DC just like I'll do with Memphis."
Mayor Johnson bristled at that plan, noting the city's reduction in violent crime this year.
"We're not going to allow the president United States of America, or any of his ilk, look at the work that we're doing across this country. And then now we're experiencing some level of reprieve, and now he wants to put his name on our paper. No, not going to tolerate it," Johnson said.
Johnson signed an executive order to reaffirm protections for people who want to demonstrate against any federal action in Chicago.
He cited a recent clash at the ICE processing facility in Broadview as an example of why the order was important.
"This President is so unhinged, we just don't know what his directives are going to be. The point is, is that there's something very fundamental about our country, and that's the ability to be able to peacefully assemble and petition its government," the mayor said.
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Mayor Johnson also accused the president of being obsessed with militarizing cities, which he called a sickness, citing Dr. Martin Luther King.
He claimed there are no circumstances under which troops should be deployed to cities across America.
Last month, Johnson signed the "Protecting Chicago" executive order against President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown and potential National Guard deployment in the Chicago area.
READ MORE | Johnson signs order aimed at resisting planned immigration crackdown, possible Nat. Guard deployment
