Jason Hopkins on October 28, 2019
President Donald Trump ripped Chicago city leaders for refusing to work with federal immigration authorities during a speech Monday.
In his first official visit to Chicago since entering the White House, Trump delivered a speech at the International Association of Chiefs of Police conference. At numerous moments during his speech, the president related the fight against crime to the need for local police to work with their federal partners. The biggest offenders, the president said, are Chicago’s leaders.
“Chicago is, unfortunately, the worst sanctuary city in America,” Trump said at the national police chiefs conference.
“Chicago protects criminals at a level few could even imagine. Last year, in Cook County alone, ICE asked local law enforcement people to ‘please, pretty please, we beg you, we’ll do anything necessary to stop crime. We want to stop crime. Please detain 1,162 people, please,’” the president said. “But in each case, the detainer was denied.”
The comments were the latest in a war of words between the U.S. federal government and the city’s leaders. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot openly called Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) “xenophobic” and “racist” in September, and has adamantly refused to allow her police force to respect ICE detainer requests.
Trump directed his aim at Eddie Johnson, the superintendent of the Chicago Police Department, during his Monday speech.
“People like Johnson put criminals and illegal aliens before the city of Chicago, and those are his values, and frankly those values to me are a disgrace. I will never put the needs of illegal criminals before I put the need of law-abiding citizens. It’s very simple to me,” he said.
“So when Eddie Johnson and many other people from lots of other regions and areas support sanctuary cities, it’s really, in my opinion, a betrayal of their oath to the shield, and a violation of his duty to serve and to protect,” the president continued. “The courageous police officers of Chicago … they could solve this problem quickly.”
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The speech revolved largely around the topic of immigration, with Trump inviting both Customs and Border Protection (CBP) acting commissioner Mark Morgan and ICE acting director Matthew Albence onto the stage to say a few words.
The president said Afghanistan, by comparison, is a safer place than Chicago.
“The people of Chicago — the people want this. And with the families of Chicago, not the criminals and gang members that are here illegally. And not the stupid politicians who have no idea what they’re doing,” he said.
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Why does the Mayor and Police Johnson get to decide for the people of Chicago we had a great city we need to get it back the way it was they need to listen to us the good citizens of CHICAGO, not the BAD ones
I would love to see the Federal Government charge and incarcerate the Mayor & Mr Johnson among others in the Chicago sanctuary city example for aiding and abetting wanted criminals for 1,162 counts. If any citizen were to help a wanted criminal we would be charged and locked up for our actions. Why are they not held to the same standard. Once done, move onto the next sanctuary city and repeat until all cities comply with the law. My 2 cents
DAMN, What is WRONG with the TRUTH ???????????????????Love It
He tells it like it is!!
Trump needs to bring the military to chicago !! The democratic politician ran chicago worst place to live !!
Because of Obama’s palestinian cousin Ram Emanuel that did a lot of damage in Chicago
If the good people of Chicago don’t rise up against this assault on their society, then they deserve what they get…they have the power to change the situation
People used to like to come there for a getaway. Not anymore! To worried about crime. It’s sad! Chicago needs to take back their city from the bullshit!!!
Seems we need a wall around Chicago, too. They want to protect illegals, illegal still means Against the Law, so those governing Chicago need to be held accountable and face charges. There should be No Sanctuary towns, cities, nor states in the USA.
I hope Obama sees this.
The local ABC station tried to fact check Trump on his claim about how many people were killed by guns in Chicago during Johnson’s time as chief (a little over 3 years). In his speech, Trump claimed that 1,350 were killed. The ABC fact check corrected that number – to 2,200.
The PRESIDENT needs to send in the feds to arrest all of these crooked slime just like during the gang clean up long ago!
I worked in down town Chicago for 9 years and through contacts and personal experience I know that the politicians and the rest of the people that run the city are crooked as a dog’s hind leg.
The city was better off when Al Capone was running things.
The Government in Chicago should be held responsible for this disaster This is Obama’s propaganda This is what Obama did in 8 years Ram Manuel should go in jail!
Chicago protects criminals
this actually makes sense to me, once the precedent of locking up miscreants takes hold what would protect city hall?
HE TELLS THE TRUTH AND THE CRIMINALS HATE IT!! WE SHOULD RUN THE DEMS OUT OF STATE AND CLEAN OUT SPRINGFIELD. LOOK AT OUR TAX RATE AND WHAT WE GET FOR THEM.