Chicago mayor says applicants for flood relief need not reveal if they’re in the US illegally

During a news conference on Tuesday, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said it is not “necessary to disclose” if you are an illegal immigrant when applying for aid from flood damage.

“We want to ensure that the residents of the communities that have been hit the hardest know that the full force of government will remain constant until families get full restoration,” Johnson said during a news conference about recent flooding.

At least five inches of heavy rain fell on parts of Chicago and northwest Indiana, causing flooding and delays. 

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Johnson said that illegal immigrants need not worry about disclosing their status when applying for aid. 

“We also want to make sure that when you are filling out the survey, your documentation status is not necessary to disclose,” Johnson said. “So this is for individuals who are residents or citizens, as well as undocumented individuals. That information will not be disclosed, so your status will be protected as the Welcoming City Ordinance permits.”

Chicago is a sanctuary city for illegal immigrants.

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In July, Johnson said that his city “will not ever cooperate with ICE.” 

During the press conference, Johnson also said the city will have to plant more trees to combat climate change. 

“We will continue to see damaging flood incidents until there are some real structural changes and improvements to our infrastructure as a whole,” Johnson said.  

“Second reason is climate change,” Johnson added. “It means that Chicago’s working-class communities are experiencing more and more frequent 100-year storms and extreme weather. We need to build more climate resilient infrastructure, plant more trees to absorb water, and modernize our infrastructure to account for this new reality.”