CHICAGO (WLS) — Mayor Brandon Johnson is in Washington, D.C. Monday, preparing for his showdown with a congressional committee over Chicago’s sanctuary city law.
The hearing is Wednesday morning, and the mayor is expected to be grilled by Republicans in a hearing that could last all day.
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Johnson will be stepping into perhaps the biggest spotlight of his political career this week when he goes before the Republican-led House Oversight Committee Wednesday morning.
Johnson, along with his counterparts from Boston, Denver and New York, were asked to appear to answer questions about their sanctuary city laws, which do not permit police to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on immigration matters, even when immigrants living in the U.S. without legal permission are accused of crimes.
“I don’t know that Brandon Johnson is going to be prepared to make that kind of commitment; so, he’s going to have to balance his argument that he wants to be humane and just, and provide support for immigrants at a very pivotal time,” ABC7 Chicago political analyst Laura Washington said.
Several key advisors traveled with the mayor to Washington, and are putting him through mock hearings to help him prepare. Sources say he has also hired a DC law firm that specializes in preparing people for congressional hearings.
The House Oversight Committee is made up of both Republicans and Democrats, who will alternate turns questioning the four mayors. These hearings often lead to viral, made for TV moments.
“So, there’s going to be a lot of grand-standing, a lot of back and forth, a lot of abrupt questioning, and the idea is going to be to make them make a mistake, to make them slip up, make them say something that will be embarrassing to them in their cities,” Washington said.
The Oversight Committee released an ominous video in advance of the hearing, saying the mayors will be held publicly accountable.
“If they’re gonna continue to disobey the law, then I think we should cut as much of their federal funding as we can cut,” someone says in the video.
Last week, the mayor said the hearing is about Chicago, not him.
“I am part of a long legacy of leaders in this city and this state that have stood up for working people, and that’s essentially what I’m prepared to do on March 5,” Johnson said.
“I’m not worried about the mayor going there. The mayor will be able to handle himself in the way that he knows how. The fact is that this city is a strong city, regardless of what talking points are coming out of MAGA,” 22nd Ward Ald. Michael Rodriguez said.
The key for Mayor Johnson could be the preparation he gets between now and Wednesday morning, and the help he gets from Democrats on the committee who support sanctuary city laws.
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