CHICAGO (WGN) Mayor Brandon Johnson will travel to Washington, D.C., next week to defend Chicago’s status as a sanctuary city.

“We’re going to remain a welcoming city and hold to our values,” Johnson said. 

Set to testify before a Congressional Committee in the nation’s capital, Johnson added that he is preparing for tough questions from the Republican-led oversight committee. 

“I’ve never backed down in a fight,” Johnson declared. 

Chicago has been a sanctuary since 2012, established under then-Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. But in recent years, the number of migrants from the southern border has increased significantly, with many asylum seekers arriving by bus in the Windy City regularly since August of 2022 by Texas Governor Greg Abbott.  

Despite many migrants leaving their homes due to sagging economies in their countries, conflict, or political turmoil, the topic became a critical talking point in the 2024 election.

Sitting President Donald Trump wasted no time making good on his campaign promises by dispatching border czar Tom Homan to Chicago to oversee the arrests and deportations of who the administration identified as violent convicted criminals. 

The Trump Administration also sued Chicago, alleging that ‘sanctuary’ laws in the nation’s third-largest city “thwart” federal efforts to enforce immigration laws. 

At about the same time, Johnson accepted an invitation from the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, along with mayors from Boston, Denver, and New York, who are also in the feds’ crosshairs. 

But Johnson maintains that he will stand his ground.

“What I’m prepared to do on March 5 is to stand up for working people. The city of Chicago continues to lead the way in housing, behavioral health, education system the way we are showing up in community safety,” Johnson said. “The city of Chicago is vibrant and its strong, even within these difficult times and challenges my administration has faced. There’s not one thing I said I was going to do and fight for when I ran that my administration has not addressed.” 

Johnson says he has also contacted former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, local congressional representatives, and others for guidance.

WGN-TV political analyst Paul Link said he believes the stakes are high for Johnson, with federal funding and more possibly at stake.

“He will be under oath, so anything he says in that hearing can and will be used against him in a future court proceeding,” Lisnek said. “Politically, the Republican members of the panel will do anything they can to get him to admit or say things that would be detrimental to the city’s position.” 

But Johnson vows to show up for the city and the people of Chicago on March 5 or any other day.

“I can’t say I’m looking forward to it, but I can say that when I get there, who I am will remain,” Johnson said.