Brandon Johnson Snaps Over “Illegal Aliens” — Language vs. Safety in Chicago
- Mayor Brandon Johnson scolded a reporter for saying “illegal aliens” and pushed a language-first defense.
- His office touted a big budget while critics point to rising crime and sanctuary policies.
- Operation Midway Blitz arrested suspects, including noncitizens, highlighting public safety concerns.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson erupted at a reporter on Friday after they used the term “illegal aliens” during a press briefing, slamming the phrase as “racist” and “nasty.” The moment was captured and posted to the mayor’s official Instagram, and it immediately became a flashpoint for critics on the right. For Republicans the exchange underscored a pattern: language policing while streets feel less safe.
In the clip a reporter asked Johnson about a report on city spending related to “illegal aliens” in Chicago that he was allegedly required to file with the White House. Johnson fired back and demanded different phrasing, framing the issue as respect and dignity. But many Americans want to hear more about enforcement and public safety than semantics.
He said, “We don’t have illegal aliens,” Johnson said to the reporter. “I don’t know if that’s from some sort of sci-fi message that you wish you’ve had… Well listen, the legal term for my people were slaves. You want me to use that term too? So, look, let’s just get the language right. We’re talking about undocumented individuals that are human beings.”
Johnson doubled down, saying he would not “accept that type of racist, nasty language to describe human beings.” That line plays well to his base, but it sidesteps calls from Republicans for tougher approaches when crimes involve noncitizens. Voters who prioritize safety see a mayor more focused on labels than consequences.
The blue city’s mayor then shifted to tout a $16.7 billion budget claiming investments in education, transportation, housing, environmental justice, youth employment and community safety. Those are big-ticket promises that sound good in a speech. The question from conservatives is whether spending and soft-on-crime policies actually keep residents safe.
“And we are going to challenge the ultra-wealthy to pay their fair share,” Johnson said. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., backed him and argued immigration violations are civil, not criminal problems. “It is very important that people in Illinois and across the country understand the immigration system is a civil system,” Jayapal said. “Undocumented presence in the United States is not a criminal offense. And so thank you for the clarification on language.”
Johnson has been vocal defending Chicago’s immigration stance and criticizing President Donald Trump’s approach to crime and border enforcement in the past. He even labeled incarceration a failure, saying “Jails and incarceration and law enforcement is a sickness that has not led to safe communities,” at a recent news conference. That philosophy explains why critics worry sanctuary policies undermine enforcement.
Last week, three illegal immigrants and six U.S. citizens were arrested in the Chicago area in what the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) dubbed “one of the most violent days” of Operation Midway Blitz. Operation Midway Blitz was launched last month in honor of Katie Abraham, who was killed in a drunk driving hit-and-run allegedly caused by Julio Cucul-Bol, an illegal immigrant from Guatemala. DHS stated the goal of the operation was to “target criminal illegal aliens terrorizing Americans in sanctuary Illinois.”
The mayor’s language fight matters, but so do arrests and victims. For Republicans the takeaway is clear: respectful language cannot replace clear policy that protects communities. The Chicago mayor’s office and Rep. Pramila Jayapal did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
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