Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson erupts at reporter over ‘unlawful aliens’ time period

Democratic Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson erupted at a reporter on Friday after they used the time period “unlawful aliens” throughout a press briefing, slamming the phrase as “racist” and “nasty.”

In a video posted Saturday to the official Instagram account of the Chicago mayor, a reporter requested Johnson a few report on metropolis spending associated to “unlawful aliens” in Chicago that he was allegedly required to file with the White Home. 

Johnson instantly pushed again on the language.

“We do not have unlawful aliens,” Johnson stated to the reporter. “I do not know if that is from some kind of sci-fi message that you simply want you’ve got had… Nicely pay attention, the authorized time period for my individuals had been slaves. You need me to make use of that time period too? So, look, let’s simply get the language proper. We’re speaking about undocumented people which are human beings.”

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Johnson added that he wouldn’t “settle for that sort of racist, nasty language to explain human beings.”

The blue metropolis’s mayor then shifted to debate his administration’s spending priorities, touting his $16.7 billion finances that he stated invests in schooling, transportation, housing, environmental justice, youth employment and neighborhood security.

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“And we’re going to problem the ultra-wealthy to pay their fair proportion,” Johnson stated.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., then chimed in to again Johnson’s remarks, arguing that immigration violations will not be felony offenses.

Folks use their telephones to file as they argue with federal brokers at an intersection within the Cicero neighborhood throughout an immigration raid, after President Donald Trump ordered elevated federal legislation enforcement presence to help in crime prevention, in Chicago, Oct. 22, 2025.  (Jim Vondruska/Reuters)

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“It is extremely necessary that individuals in Illinois and throughout the nation perceive the immigration system is a civil system,” Jayapal stated. “Undocumented presence in america will not be a felony offense. And so thanks for the clarification on language.”

Johnson has beforehand been outspoken in his protection of Chicago’s immigration insurance policies and in his criticism of President Donald Trump’s strategy to crime and border enforcement. 

Final month, the Chicago mayor delivered a fiery information convention condemning Trump’s crackdown on crime.

President Donald Trump speaks to members of the press on October 19, 2025, aboard Air Pressure One. Earlier this month, the White Home escalated its feud with Illinois Democratic leaders, releasing a video attacking Johnson and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker. (Alex Wong/Getty Pictures)

“Jails and incarceration and legislation enforcement is a illness that has not led to secure communities,” Johnson stated on the time.

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Final week, three unlawful immigrants and 6 U.S. residents had been arrested within the Chicago space in what the Division of Homeland Safety (DHS) dubbed “probably the most violent days” of Operation Halfway Blitz. 

Operation Halfway Blitz was launched final month in honor of Katie Abraham, who was killed in a drunk driving hit-and-run allegedly brought on by Julio Cucul-Bol, an unlawful immigrant from Guatemala. 

DHS said the objective of the operation was to “goal felony unlawful aliens terrorizing Individuals in sanctuary Illinois.”

The Chicago mayor’s workplace and Rep. Pramila Jayapal didn’t instantly reply to Fox Information Digital’s request for remark.

Fox Information Digital’s Rachel Wolf and Alexander Corridor contributed to this report.