Chicago’s elected leaders are leading an insurrection at great taxpayer expense
You might think that in a city, county, and state all teetering on the edge of fiscal collapse, elected officials would at least be responsible enough to discourage mass vandalism, the blocking of public roads, or anything else that might force already-stretched Chicago police officers to call a “10-1” — code for “all hands on deck.” That call, when made, effectively leaves the rest of the city at the mercy of gangs, looters, and criminals while law enforcement plays babysitter to protesters. But no. Not in this city. And not in any "Blue" city, unfortunately.
Here in Chicago, our so-called leaders might as well be donning football helmets and Guy Fawkes masks, lining up shoulder-to-shoulder with the rabble marching through downtown trying to impose mob rule. If we’re being honest, they already are. When Mayor Brandon Johnson, Governor J.B. Pritzker, and various alderpersons all openly defy the federal government — encouraging illegal activity and interfering with enforcement efforts — they are, in no uncertain terms, aiding and abetting a rebellion.
Let’s call this what it is: Open insurrection against the rule of law.
“Resist in this moment”—that’s leadership?
In a press conference on Wednesday, Mayor Johnson declared that this was “a necessary fight,” and called on the citizens of Chicago to “resist in this moment.” Not resist injustice, mind you. Resist law enforcement. Resist the rule of law. Resist the federal government’s perfectly legal effort to remove people who have received deportation orders from the United States.
“This is a war on our culture,” Johnson said as if federal immigration enforcement was an attack on the soul of the city. “Whatever particular vulnerable group is targeted today, another group will be next.” Johnson's solution? Not legal appeals, not coordination with federal officials, not a plan to address public safety — but more protests, marches, and civil disobedience.
The mayor declined to say what steps his administration might take if President Donald Trump deploys the military to assist in ICE operations in Chicago. However, Johnson did confirm that he’s in lockstep with Governor Pritzker and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, both of whom have pledged to maintain “the sensibilities of our democracy” — a phrase that now apparently means protecting those in the country illegally at the expense of public order.
Meanwhile, chaos unfolds in the streets
In the last week alone, we’ve seen anti-ICE and anti-Trump protests erupt across downtown. On Tuesday night, 17 people were arrested as thousands of demonstrators swarmed the Loop, blocking traffic, vandalizing squad cars, and spray-painting buses. This wasn’t a peaceful assembly — it was deliberate disruption, pure and simple.
What did the CPD do? Not much. They were noticeably under-deployed, especially compared to the robust and professional presence that kept the peace during last summer’s Democratic National Convention. Police tried to steer the protesters away from North Michigan Avenue and Trump Tower but were overwhelmed.
With more protests Thursday and another major rally Saturday dubbed the “No Kings March,” CPD issued a statement pledging to protect First Amendment rights and promising to hold lawbreakers accountable. But don’t hold your breath. Chicago has a long track record of tolerating lawless behavior under the guise of social justice.
Local officials stand with the lawbreakers
Even more disturbing is how thoroughly our leaders have aligned themselves with those actively obstructing federal law enforcement. In the Pilsen neighborhood last Monday, ICE agents arrested two individuals near South Carpenter Street. According to Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez, the agents failed to properly identify themselves. Video of the incident shows a CPD car leaving the scene once the officer realized it was an immigration operation.
Two days later, ICE arrested 10 more individuals with standing deportation orders outside its South Loop facility. Protesters — and at least three aldermen — tried to interfere with the arrests. CPD officers were present only to provide crowd control, but again, the message was clear: The city will do nothing to assist in lawful federal operations. Worse, it will stand in visible, public opposition to them.
The financial toll of political theater
Here’s the part no one in the Johnson-Pritzker-Preckwinkle cabal wants to talk about: This kind of constant disruption is expensive. Police overtime. Emergency services. Property damage. Lost business. Civil litigation. Insurance hikes. The list goes on.
We already live in a city facing a budget shortfall of more than $500 million, a county on the hook for jail expansions and public health expenses, and a state so broke it can barely keep the lights on. And yet, our leaders actively incite the kinds of protests and confrontations that leave taxpayers holding the bag — again and again.
There’s also a reputational cost. Every time these images of chaos go viral, it sends another message to families, business owners, and tourists: Stay away from Chicago. We’ve already endured the damage done by the 2020 riots and the ongoing “teen takeovers.” Now we’re flirting with full-on civil unrest, and our leaders are cheering it on.
The Democrats think this is good politics. It’s not
The political calculus here is obvious and cynical: Democrats believe that defending illegal immigrants and loudly opposing Trump will endear them to their base. But the base isn’t what they think it is anymore.
In fact, growing numbers of Black Chicagoans are starting to talk — sometimes openly—about flipping the city "Red." Why? Because they see firsthand how the city’s resources are being diverted to support people who aren’t even legally allowed to be here. They’re watching neighborhoods remain unsafe while downtown gets flooded with police to manage a protest. They’re seeing shelters and schools crowded with migrants while their communities suffer from decades of disinvestment.
And contrary to stereotype, many Hispanic voters — especially second and third-generation citizens — are not sympathetic to unchecked illegal immigration. They’re here legally. They played by the rules. They pay taxes. And they’re fed up with lawless chaos masquerading as compassion.
Who actually supports this?
For all the noise on the streets, ask yourself: How many of the city’s 2.7 million residents actually support this nonsense? It’s not most people. The loudest voices in the mob are not the majority. They never have been.
The people disrupting the Loop, blocking traffic, and spray-painting squad cars do not speak for the city. They speak for a fringe, enabled and protected by politicians who are more interested in scoring points on social media than protecting the public they were elected to serve.
And let’s not forget: Illegal immigrants are not supposed to be voting. Not even in local elections. So the Democratic machine is bending over backwards to appease a constituency that technically doesn’t exist at the ballot box.
Meanwhile, Trump’s poll numbers on immigration are rising. Why? Because most Americans, and most Chicagoans, are not stupid. They don’t like riots. They don’t like vandalism. And they don’t like a city government that defies the law in favor of chaos.
The bottom line
What’s happening in Chicago isn’t just irresponsible. It’s unsustainable. We are careening toward a breaking point — fiscally, socially, and politically. Mob rule is not just an embarrassment; it’s a threat to the fabric of our city.
You can’t keep calling “10-1” every time a protest breaks out. You can’t keep pretending that this is all free speech and harmless dissent. And you sure as hell can’t keep pretending that bankrupting the city in the name of “resistance” is good governance.
The political class may be enamored with its own performative heroics, but the voters are starting to wise up. And if they don’t? Then maybe they deserve exactly what they’re getting.
But the rest of us? We’ve had enough.
