Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson Signs Executive Order Establishing ‘ICE Free Zones’

Chicago Democratic Mayor Brandon Johnson will create “ICE free zones” across the sanctuary city as the Trump administration continues its immigration sweeps while facing an uptick in violence.

The Windy City’s mayor said during a news conference on Monday that his latest action is focused on “reigning in this out-of-control administration.”

“The order establishes ICE-free zones. That means that city property and unwilling private businesses will no longer serve as staging grounds for these raids,” Johnson said.

???? Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson just announced he signed an executive order creating “ICE Free Zones” to ban ICE agents from city property.

This is SICK. He is aiding and abetting criminal illegal immigrant killers, rapists, traffickers, and gang bangers. pic.twitter.com/LaMbxaqePP

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 6, 2025

The Trump administration commenced “Operation Midway Blitz” last month with the deployment of additional federal immigration agents to Illinois, resulting in more than 1,000 arrests.

In response, anti-ICE agitators have taken to the streets in an attempt to thwart the Trump administration’s sweeping deportation operation.

Credit: Photo by OCTAVIO JONES/AFP via Getty Images.

Some of those efforts by the agitators have become violent.

On Saturday, Border Patrol agents “were rammed by vehicles and boxed in by 10 cars” in Broadview, Illinois, Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said on X.

When the trapped agents exited their car, they encountered one of the alleged attackers, who was later identified as Marimar Martinez. Agents determined that she was “armed with a semi-automatic weapon,” forcing them to “fire defensive shots at an unarmed U.S. citizen,” according to McLaughlin.

Chicago Police officers were also instructed to stand down when the federal agents called for help during the attack.

Martinez was previously the subject of a federal law enforcement intelligence bulletin that circulated last week after she was allegedly “doxing agents and posting online ‘Hey to all my gang let’s f*** those motherf****ers up, don’t let them take anyone.’”

In response to the uptick in violent assaults, the Trump administration’s Department of War will deploy roughly 400 soldiers from Texas to Chicago and Portland.

Illinois has since sued the Trump administration as its governor, JB Pritzker, labeled the troop deployment as “Trump’s invasion.”