Former Chicago Police Chief Condemns Mayor’s Refusal to Cooperate with ICE

A retired police chief from the Chicago suburbs has voiced strong criticism of the current mayor’s stance on immigration enforcement, criticizing Mayor Brandon Johnson’s decision not to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Tom Weitzel, who led the Riverside Police Department until 2021, stated, “In Chicago and Illinois, police have been instructed not to work with ICE. The mayor has explicitly said that Chicago Police will never assist ICE, even when legally required.”

Johnson recently declared that Chicago police “will never cooperate with ICE” and referred to ICE raids as “terrorism,” describing the city under Trump-era policies as resembling “if the Confederacy won.”

Weitzel expressed alarm over the order, noting, “He has instructed city attorneys to brief officers that they cannot assist in immigration enforcement situations. This is dangerous—ICE may face urgent situations where assistance from local police is critical, especially during attacks or assaults. The city’s police are now ordered to not cooperate, which is unprecedented.”

Weitzel, with 37 years of law enforcement experience—including roles from patrol officer to chief—stated, “I am concerned for the safety of Chicago police officers. When local law enforcement cannot assist federal agents, it increases the risk that officers and agents will be hurt during attacks or confrontations.”

He emphasized that officers’ primary role is to assist during dangerous incidents, not to pursue immigration enforcement. “Despite what the mayor claims, police are there to support ICE and ensure safety. Their orders to not assist put them at risk of injury, which is truly reckless,” Weitzel warned.

Despite efforts, there was no immediate response from Mayor Johnson regarding these comments.