Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson addresses calls to testify in Washington about sanctuary city policies
CHICAGO (CBS) -- In an exclusive one-on-one conversation Tuesday, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson called the Trump administration's freeze on all public loans, grants and other aid unprecedented — and also called the investigation into sanctuary cities "disingenuous."
Mayor Johnson was asked by the House Oversight Committee to testify on Capitol Hill next month about Chicago's sanctuary city status — along with other big city mayors. Johnson and the other mayors have been asked to mayors to testify about their policies protecting undocumented immigrants, and also to turn over documents.
Tye: "Why wouldn't you go to D.C.?"
Johnson: "Well, I've gone to D.C. multiple times."
Tye: "On this occasion."
Johnson: "Well, because here's the thing — the people of Chicago want to have a far broader conversation in this moment."
Tye: "But this representative wants to have a very specific conversation with you."
Johnson: "Well, I find that to be, you know, disingenuous, quite frankly. When the people of Chicago say that they want affordability, that's why we're building more affordable homes."
Tye: "What do you make of reports that Representative [James] Comer (R-Kentucky) may compel you and your fellow mayors to come by way of subpoena?"
Johnson: "Well, you know, again, the Trump administration has control over the House, the Senate, the judicial branch of government. This is really an incredible derelict of duty in this moment when we have the opportunity, the way this administration has the opportunity, to actually pass immigration reform policy."
Tye: "This would seem like a perfect opportunity for you to make the case that you make so often. Are you leaning towards going?"
Johnson: "You know, look, I am open to having conversations about how we can build a better, stronger, safer Chicago with anyone. I'm not quite sure if this is the forum in which that could take place, but you know, we're going to review that letter."
Tye: "For all the bluster around what's going on, the folks here illegally — the people who fit the category of they are here illegally, and they are violent offenders — is there some value to the federal government getting them out of the Chicago machine?"
Johnson: "Well, that's their responsibility. That's their job.
Tye: "So there is value there."
Johnson: "Well look, every administration has done this. That is their responsibility in their job. All we're simply saying is that our local police department will not dub as federal agents. It's not their responsibility. That's the responsibility of the federal government."
Tye: "Do you believe what the governor [JB Pritzker] said is correct, that the Trump administration is lying to us?"
Johnson: "Well, for the president the United States of America to freeze funding, particularly funding that has been established by law."
Tye: "But do you agree when the governor says the president is lying?
Johnson: "Well, is he working outside of his authority? I mean, I think that there's going to be a great deal of litigation around that. And what I can say emphatically, I've spoken to our United States senators, Durbin as well as Duckworth. This is unprecedented, and it's actually incredibly dangerous model that this president has put forth to believe that he is the supreme existence."
Pritzker specifically accused President Trump of lying about Medicaid payment portal issues that came up Tuesday being unrelated to the federal funding freeze. The governor said the sweeping cuts confirmed by the White House to thousands of programs — ones that fund everything from highway projects to kids' lunches, drug addiction assistance to medical research labs — was going to include cuts to Medicaid too, until a late-day pivot.
Tuesday afternoon, a federal judge in Washington D.C. temporarily blocked the freeze, just minutes before it was set to go into effect. Judge Loren AliKhan's administrative stay pauses the freeze until Monday.
Whether Mayor Johnson goes to Washington or not hinges on what his corporation counsel at City Hall thinks. The hearing at which he is expected to testify is slated for next month.