Chicago to be ground zero for mass deportations, Trump border czar tells Illinois Republicans

President-elect Donald Trump’s border czar Tom Homan came to Chicago on Monday to implore Mayor Brandon Johnson and Gov. JB Pritzker to “come to the table” and negotiate with him over a mass deportation plan that he declared would start right here.

Homan, the former acting head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement during Trump’s first term, began a 20-minute address at a Northwest Side GOP holiday party with some light ribbing before detailing his plan, which includes verifying the status of asylum-seekers and arresting people who are found harboring criminals.

“Chicago’s in trouble because your mayor sucks and your governor sucks,” Homan said to cheers. Later, he called both “terrible” while also telling them to “come to the table.”

To Johnson, who has said he would protect the city’s immigrants from federal agents, Homan said, “If he doesn’t want to help, get the hell out of the way.”

This report was published in partnership with the Chicago Sun-Times. For more, visit chicago.suntimes.com.