Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson erupts at reporter over ‘illegal aliens’ term

Democratic Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson fired back at a reporter who used the term “illegal aliens” during a news conference Friday, calling the phrase “racist” and “disgusting.”

In a video posted on the Chicago mayor’s official Instagram account on Saturday, a reporter asked Johnson about a report on city spending on “illegal aliens” in Chicago that he allegedly had to file with the White House.

Johnson immediately backtracked on the language.

“We don’t have illegal aliens,” Johnson told the reporter. “I don’t know if this is coming from some kind of sci-fi message that you wish you had… Listen, the legal term for my people was slaves. You want me to use that term? So look, let’s use the language correctly. We’re talking about undocumented individuals who are human beings.”

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Johnson added that he “will not accept this kind of racist and abusive language describing people.”

The blue city’s mayor then moved to discuss his administration’s spending priorities, touting his $16.7 billion budget that he said invests in education, transportation, housing, environmental justice, youth employment and community safety.

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“And we will challenge the ultra-rich to pay their fair share,” Johnson said.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., later supported Johnson’s remarks, arguing that immigration violations are not crimes.

People use their phones to record themselves arguing with federal agents at an intersection in the Cicero neighborhood during an immigration raid after President Donald Trump ordered an increased federal law enforcement presence to help prevent crime in Chicago on Oct. 22, 2025. (Jim Vondruska/Reuters)

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“It is very important that people in Illinois and across the country understand that the immigration system is a civil system,” Jayapal said. he said. “Being undocumented in the United States is not a criminal offense. Thank you for your clarification on the language.”

Johnson has previously been outspoken in defending Chicago’s immigration policies and criticizing President Donald Trump’s approach to crime and border enforcement.

Last month, Chicago’s mayor held a fiery press conference denouncing Trump’s crackdown on crime.

President Donald Trump speaks to members of the press aboard Air Force One on October 19, 2025. Earlier this month, the White House escalated its feud with Illinois Democratic leaders by releasing a video attacking Johnson and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

“Prisons, incarceration and law enforcement are a disease that does not lead to safe societies,” Johnson said at the time.

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Last week, three illegal immigrants and six U.S. citizens were arrested in the Chicago area in what the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) called “one of the most violent days” of Operation Midway Blitz.

Operation Midway Blitz was launched last month in honor of Katie Abraham, who was killed in a drunken driving hit-and-run incident allegedly caused by Julio Cucul-Bol, an illegal immigrant from Guatemala.

DHS stated that the purpose of the operation was to “target criminal, illegal aliens who are terrorizing Americans in Illinois.”

Chicago’s mayoral office and Rep. Pramila Jayapal did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Fox News Digital’s Rachel Wolf and Alexander Hall contributed to this report.