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Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson on Wednesday unveiled a snowplow named “Abolish ICE” in an effort to oppose the Trump administration’s deportation campaign, less than a week after a local college student was allegedly murdered by a man described by authorities as being in the U.S. illegally.
The snowplow name was chosen among 13,000 submissions in the city’s “You Name a Plow” contest.
“This name derives from our city’s legacy of standing up for justice, dignity, and the rights of all people, no matter where they come from,” Johnson said in front of the city’s massive salt dome. “I want to take this moment to reiterate that Chicago does not want ICE on our streets, in our airports, nor in our city. Chicago believes in abolishing ICE.”
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Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson speaks during a press conference announcing the top-voted name in the city’s 2026 “You Name a Snowplow” contest, “Abolish ICE,” on Wednesday. (Erin Hooley/AP)
“Abolish ICE” is a slogan used by progressive activists and politicians in opposition to enforcement actions conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Johnson has previously criticized the Trump administration’s use of ICE.
In addition, he recently condemned the deployment of ICE agents to airports, including Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, to assist the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
The unveiling of the snowplow came days after Sheridan Gorman, the Loyola University student who was killed last week, allegedly by a Venezuelan migrant.
Jose Medina, 25, who is charged with the killing, was captured by the U.S. Border Patrol on May 9, 2023, and subsequently released into the U.S. under the Biden administration.
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Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson speaks during a press conference announcing the top-voted name in the city’s 2026 “You Name a Snowplow” contest, “Abolish ICE,” Wednesday, March 25, 2026, in Chicago.
Johnson was questioned about Gorman’s murder during Wednesday’s unveiling and whether he considered rescheduling the event given the timing.
“This is a terrible tragedy,” he said. “This tragedy is not going to deter us from our work. In fact, it’s going to challenge us all to double down on our efforts to ensure that we are protecting every single individual across neighborhoods.”
Chicago Democratic Ald. Raymond Lopez, who has criticized Chicago sanctuary policies, said Gorman’s death was “100% avoidable.”
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“The culmination of the choices made here in the city of Chicago and the state of Illinois to protect noncitizens even when they choose to engage in dangerous criminal behavior, that mindset has to change,” he told “America Reports” on Wednesday. “That mindset has to stop because Sheridan and the other 1,200 other individuals across this country who’ve been victims… victimized by noncitizens deserved to be honored in a change in mindset and law.”
