Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has signed an executive order directing the city's police department to investigate any alleged illegal activity by federal immigration agents and refer the agents for prosecution if necessary, his office said Saturday.
In a post on X, Johnson said he signed the "ICE On Notice" executive order, which he described as "laying the groundwork to investigate and prosecute ICE agents if they break the law in Chicago."
"There is no such thing as absolute immunity in America," Johnson wrote. "Chicago will not stand by as ICE terrorizes our communities."
The order instructs Chicago police officers to preserve body-camera footage from incidents and identify the federal supervisory officer on scene. Chicago officers are also supposed to complete reports on any state or local laws allegedly violated by federal agents.
The announcement also signals an escalation in the city's posture toward ICE, aligning with Chicago's broader identity as a sanctuary jurisdiction that limits local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
Johnson's framing suggests the order is meant not only as a legal warning, but also as a political message to immigrant communities that the city will resist what he described as intimidation and fear-driven tactics.
By arguing that "absolute immunity" does not exist, the mayor appeared to reject the idea that federal officers can operate without accountability.
The comment points to a broader debate over how much authority federal agencies should have in local communities, and what role city governments can play in challenging enforcement actions they believe cross legal boundaries.
Johnson's announcement comes as immigration enforcement continues to be one of the most contentious political issues in the country, with major cities increasingly taking independent steps to shape how federal policies play out on the ground.
The mayor did not specify when the executive order takes effect or what specific actions it will authorize, but his message suggests Chicago intends to take a more aggressive approach to monitoring ICE activity and holding agents accountable when laws are violated.
"With today's order, we are putting ICE on notice in our city. Chicago will not sit idly by while Trump floods federal agents into our communities and terrorizes our residents," Johnson wrote in a statement.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to The Associated Press' request for comment. Federal agents are generally immune from state prosecution for actions taken as part of their official duties.
Immunity only applies when an officer's actions were authorized under federal law and were necessary and proper.
Prominent state and local Democrat leaders around the country have been pushing back against the Trump administration's immigration enforcement efforts, especially following the deaths of two U.S. citizens killed by federal agents in Minneapolis.
Minnesota officials sued the federal government over the surge of immigration officers in that state, but a federal judge Saturday declined to issue a preliminary injunction that would have ended the operation.
New York Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul introduced a bill on Friday aimed at banning local law enforcement from being deputized by ICE to take part in immigration enforcement operations.
AP contributed to this report.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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