Chicago Mayor Establishes ‘ICE-Free Zones,’ Restricting Federal Enforcement

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson on Monday signed an executive order establishing “ICE-free zones” across city-owned properties, aiming to restrict federal immigration agents from using schools, parks, libraries and other municipal facilities for enforcement activities.

Private businesses can voluntarily join the citywide protection network, which Johnson says is designed to safeguard residents’ civil liberties and overall safety.

City-owned properties will now display signs reinforcing the order.

“This property is owned and/or controlled by the City of Chicago,” the sign reads, according to Fox 32. “It may not be used for civil immigration enforcement, including as a staging area, processing location, or operations base.”

Johnson described the executive order as establishing a broad civic shield designed to limit the reach of enforcement actions he considers harmful, emphasizing that federal agents should not operate unchecked in the city.