Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an executive order instructing the Chicago Police Department to document and investigate alleged misconduct by federal immigration officers and to preserve evidence for possible prosecution. The "Ice On Notice" directive requires CPD to preserve body-camera footage, identify supervising federal officers on scene, call emergency medical services when needed, and refer felony matters to the Cook County State’s Attorney. The move follows high-profile federal operations in Minneapolis and local incidents involving ICE and CBP, prompting mixed reactions from federal officials and local law enforcement leaders.
Chicago's "Ice On Notice": Mayor Orders CPD To Investigate Federal Immigration Agents
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson attends a protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection in Chicago on January 25. - Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu/Getty Images
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson on Saturday signed an executive order directing the Chicago Police Department (CPD) to document and investigate alleged misconduct by federal immigration officers, with the goal of preserving evidence and referring potential criminal matters to the Cook County State’s Attorney.
“We are putting ICE on notice in our city,” Johnson said in a statement. “Chicago will not sit idly by while federal agents are deployed into our communities and terrorize our residents.” His office has dubbed the action the “Ice On Notice” order.
What the Order Requires
The executive order instructs CPD supervisors to:
- Document federal enforcement actions and preserve relevant evidence, including body-worn camera footage;
- Attempt to identify the supervising federal officer on scene;
- Complete a formal report on alleged misconduct;
- Immediately summon emergency medical services when necessary; and
- Refer felony matters to the Cook County State’s Attorney when appropriate.
Johnson said CPD must issue guidance and procedures to implement the order within 30 days.
Context And Reactions
The order comes amid growing tensions between progressive city leaders and federal immigration authorities after a federal operation in Minneapolis that preceded the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti and the earlier death of Renee Good. Johnson also pointed to two Chicago-area incidents involving federal officers: the September shooting of Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez by an ICE officer during a traffic stop in a suburb, and the October 4 shooting of Marimar Martinez by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent. Federal charges against Martinez were later dismissed.
DHS spokesman and agency statements defended ICE and Border Patrol personnel, saying claims of criminal misconduct are false and stressing that federal agents receive routine training and are held to high standards. The agency also reiterated concerns that some local policies in sanctuary jurisdictions limit cooperation.
John Catanzara, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7, dismissed the executive order in an email as a "piece of toilet paper" and "political bluster from City Hall."
Tom Homan, deployed by the administration to oversee ICE operations in Minneapolis after Pretti’s death, acknowledged that the enforcement effort there needed improvements and said a drawdown plan and refocusing of operations were underway.
Next Steps
Johnson described the move as part of a broader effort to hold federal actors accountable where local officials believe misconduct has occurred. CNN has contacted the Chicago Police Department and the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office for comment.
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