Chicago Alderman Raymond Lopez says he's read the 22-page lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice against Illinois over the state's sanctuary laws and he believes federal authorities are "absolutely correct" that "all of our laws are designed to impede the ability of the federal government" to enforce U.S. immigration law.
"All of our laws are designed not to provide information or share assistance with the federal government, the immigration enforcement officers and individuals charged with protecting the sovereignty of the United States," Lopez told Newsmax's "The Record With Greta Van Susteren" on Thursday night. "That much is very clear.
"Now, we can be welcoming and choose to help people, however they get here – that's something that I believe in – but, at the same time, it's very evident that when you have people who are dangerous to our communities and threats to our national interest, then the federal government must take the lead and do everything that they can to remove those individuals and extricate them from our nation," Lopez said.
"Having cities like Chicago, the County of Cook, and the state of Illinois refusing to let ICE know when we arrest these individuals is clearly an impediment to the federal government," he added. "And, since it only focuses on ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement], it actually does, in fact, discriminate against [border czar Tom] Homan and company in their ability to do their job."
Asked about the temperature, or feeling, of the people of Chicago on being a sanctuary city for illegal immigrants, Lopez said he thinks the "temperature's in the middle."
"I think individuals like being a welcoming city to individuals who want to work hard and pursue the American Dream," he said. "That's what many of our backgrounds have contributed to this city, myself included. My family came here 100 years ago in pursuit of the American Dream, like so many that have come after us. But, at the same time, they don't want child sexual predators, human traffickers, and drug dealers in our neighborhoods, especially those that manipulated asylum to get here. So, I think that it's more nuanced than what our leaders here try to make it appear to be and there's much more support, including in immigrant communities, for the individuals who are committing crimes to be taken away."
Lopez also said that Chicago officials have heard that the Justice Department is going to restrict grants from the federal government to the Windy City, jeopardizing the more than $3.5 billion in federal funding received this year alone "if we do not take action to correct this issue."
"I think that, aside from the loss of money and the impact that it will have on taxpayers here in the city of Chicago, we also have to remember that we have long-term undocumented individuals," he said. "Many long-term undocumented, particularly Mexican undocumented, have no legal protection, no status, and oftentimes are the ones caught as collateral captures as well. So, if you care about undocumented, as our leaders say, they need to work with this administration, the Trump administration, to do what's right, now."
About NEWSMAX TV:
NEWSMAX is the fastest-growing cable news channel in America!
- Find Newsmax channel in your home via cable and satellite systems – More Info Here
- Watch Newsmax+ on your home TV app or smartphone and watch it anywhere! Try it for FREE – See More Here: NewsmaxPlus.com
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.