As Trump prepares to speak to Congress, questions remain about immigration enforcement in Chicago
In his first speech to Congress during his second term in office on Tuesday, President Trump is expected to focus on immigration, new tariffs, and his effort to slash the federal workforce.
It comes as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has stonewalled on questions about its immigration enforcement efforts.
The president's speech to Congress also comes one day before Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is set to testify before the House Oversight Committee on the city's sanctuary laws protecting undocumented immigrants. He will be joined by the mayors of Boston, Denver, and New York.
Ahead of the president's address Tuesday night and the mayor's testimony on Wednesday, faith leaders and immigration rights activists in Chicago gathered to condemn the Trump administration's immigration policies.
"Tomorrow's hearing, as well as Trump's forthcoming remarks this evening, will certainly reinforce the division that has marked his presidency so far," said Lawrence Benito, executive director of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights.
Mr. Trump's address to a joint session of Congress will be an opportunity for the president to further define his vision following his inaugural speech. During that address, he promised mass deportations, and the president's immigration agenda is likely to be a key theme of his speech on Tuesday.
When he was sworn into office, Mr. Trump committed to major changes in immigration policy, one of his most popular promises on the campaign trail. According to a CBS News poll, his execution of those promises is something the majority of Americans approve of so far.
In the first few weeks of his administration, the Chicago area saw immigration enforcement action, as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents worked with other federal agencies to arrest people they say are in the country illegally.
Chicago officials have said around 100 people in the city were arrested in the first week of Trump's return to the White House, but after multiple attempts, CBS News Chicago has not been able to retrieve any recent data from ICE.
"We saw that there was a big show of force at the beginning of the year as soon as he took office, and I think that they're still going to do everything within their power to, you know, keep to their commitments; but the reality is we've heard that the manpower for that department is just not there," said John Eric Zayas, lead pastor of Grace and Peace Church in the Austin neighborhood.
Zayas said his congregation has grown under the new administration – many are new arrivals – regardless of the president revoking a policy that prohibits immigration arrests at or near "sensitive locations" like churches.
"Many of them came and were committed to not being afraid; to continuing moving forward, and saying we're coming together, we're coming to worship, and nothing's going to hold us back from doing that," Zayas said.
The pastor said they now have to operate with a contingency plan and make other changes, like cancelling their annual in-person Easter celebration. But that isn't stopping them from worshipping.
"Even in our building, from our day-to-day activity Monday through Saturday, we've had to change some of our protocols and systems to make sure that people are safe. So even how we open the door, and answer the door, letting people in the building," Zayas said.
Mr. Trump is also expected to push Congress to pass more border security funding to fund deportations and more construction along the border wall.
