Chicago

Chicago is a major US city currently experiencing heightened tensions related to federal immigration enforcement (ICE). Mayor Brandon Johnson has ordered the Chicago Police Department to investigate alleged illegal activity by ICE agents within the city, escalating jurisdictional conflicts. This follows reports of ICE raids and the use of facial recognition technology in other cities, raising concerns about civil liberties and federal overreach. The Trump administration's policies on immigration and troop deployments in US cities, which cost nearly $500 million in 2025, are contributing factors to the current climate. Furthermore, the Royal Shakespeare Company is staging a production of Bertolt Brecht's play about a Chicago mobster, drawing parallels to historical figures and potentially reflecting on contemporary political dynamics within the city and the nation. The play's themes of corruption and power resonate amid the ongoing debates surrounding immigration and federal intervention.