(The Center Square) – The U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is expected to question four U.S. mayors about their cities’ immigration policies Wednesday.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston and New York City Mayor Eric Adams have been asked to discuss their cities’ migrant sanctuary policies.
Johnson and Wu have defended restrictions that prevent local authorities from cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials. Adams has expressed a willingness to work with the Trump administration as the New York City mayor faces corruption charges which were announced in a federal indictment last September. Federal prosecutors dropped corruption charges against Adams last month.
Last week, Chicago’s mayor called out federal lawmakers over their inaction when migrants were flowing into the country.
“As a result of this crisis that Congress left cities alone to deal with, now whatever critique people might have, it was unprecedented,” Johnson said.
Johnson was asked who he looked to for advice before facing the House committee.
“Jesus. I’m callin’ on the name of Jesus. I mean, there are a number of people. I text Mayor Lightfoot,” Johnson said.
Lori Lightfoot preceded Johnson as mayor of Chicago. Johnson also mentioned former U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and U.S. Rep. Danny Davis, D-Chicago.
While Johnson visits Washington, Chicago Republicans are asking officials in the nation’s capital to visit the Windy City.
ChicagoRED Executive Director Osiris King urged members of the Trump administration to include the city in their travel plans.
“We need [border czar] Tom Homan, [U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security] Kristi Noem and [U.S. Attorney General] Pam Bondi to come to Chicago and investigate where this wasteful spending has gone,” King said. “If people knew about where the money has been, if there was an audit on the city of Chicago, heads would be rolling out of City Hall, down the Chicago River.”
The Illinois Republican Party released a statement Tuesday, calling Johnson the “most unpopular man in America.”
The state GOP suggested questions people should be asking Johnson ahead of Wednesday’s hearing.
“In President [Donald] Trump’s first days in office, he deported Nine Tren de Aragua terrorists, seven sexual predators who committed crimes against children, and two murderers from Chicago. Do you support the deportation of these people in your city?” the statement queried. “Do you plan to put their care and expenses on a never-ending credit card that you seem to think exists?”
The Illinois GOP also suggested asking Johnson, “Are you prepared to lose federal funding for refusing to work with the federal government?”
