Chicago Won't Be Letting Voters Decide On 'Sanctuary City' Status

Mayor Brandon Johnson and his City Council allies on Thursday used a parliamentary maneuver to squelch an advisory referendum that would have allowed Chicago voters to weigh in on whether Chicago should remain a sanctuary city.

A special City Council meeting called to consider the issue was over in less than an hour and never got off the ground.

Instead, Johnson ruled that the proposed referendum championed by Ald. Anthony Beale (9th) needed a two-thirds vote, or 33 alderpersons, to suspend the rules so that it could be considered because it had not been approved by the Rules Committee.

The Council voted 31-16 not to suspend the rules.