Chicago community activist sounds off on migrant crisis: ‘I welcome’ Trump border czar

CHICAGO – Community activist and Chicago Against Violence founder Andre Smith may be a Democrat, but he says he’s willing to work with incoming Trump border czar Tom Homan to deport illegal immigrants from the Windy City. 

“I welcome in Chicago the border czar [Tom Homan],” Smith told Fox News Digital in an interview. “And [truth] be told, I wouldn’t mind working with him seeing that I was the first person in Chicago to stand up and fight against the migrants.”

Smith, who is also a preacher, has been on the front line of helping his community in Chicago, from helping the homeless population to fighting against local efforts by Mayor Brandon Johnson to disperse migrants throughout the city. 

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Chicago resident Andre Smith voices his frustration over the city’s new $51 million migrant aid package. (Fox News)

“I would love when he come[s] to Chicago to work with him, and getting them expedited back where they came from,” Smith said of Homan. “Because to lie to a federal official is a federal offense, and if they came over on the pretenses of they are in fear of their life, then you have women, you have men, and all of them said they’re in fear for their life because someone is going trying to kill them, and lying, you have to make examples.”

Smith’s comments come as many Chicago residents have been outraged by “sanctuary city” policies that have brought in thousands of migrants to a city already plagued by one of the highest violent crime rates in the U.S.

“Here we are in Chicago, where we [are] supposed to be celebrating a season of joy, love and happiness,” Smith continued. “And a lot of people have Christmas trees and under their trees in Chicago. We are unwrapping gifts of neglect. We are unwrapping gifts of disappointment and heartaches. We are unwrapping gifts of $575 million of taxpayer dollars given to and misallocated to give to illegal migrants. We need solutions, and we need change.”

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A group of migrants receives food outside the migrant landing zone during a winter storm on January 12, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

Following President-elect Donald Trump’s re-election, Johnson — who allocated millions of dollars to migrant resources — vowed to defend the illegal migrants residing in Chicago, saying “we will not bend or break,” according to local news outlet WTTW. 

“Our values will remain strong and firm. We will face likely hurdles in our work over the next four years, but we will not be stopped, and we will not go back,” Johnson said.

Meanwhile, Homan spoke in Chicago last week and told local Republicans he wanted Illinois Democrats to “come to the table,” but if not to “get the hell out of the way.”

That comment sparked a fiery response from Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Ill.

“Tom Homan, the next time you come to #IL03 — a district made stronger and more powerful by immigrants — you better be ready to meet the resistance,” she warned.

ILLINOIS GOVERNOR SAYS ‘VIOLENT’ ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS SHOULD BE DEPORTED, OPEN TO MEETING WITH TRUMP OFFICIALS

Incoming border czar Tom Homan spoke with Dr. Phil about the Trump administration’s plan to deport illegal migrants. (The Dr. Phil Podcast YouTube channel)

“You may think Chicago needs to get out of the way of Trump’s plans for mass deportation, but we plan to get ALL UP IN YOUR WAY.”

Ramirez’s comments add to a growing number of statements from Democratic leaders nationwide vowing to oppose or refuse cooperation with Trump’s mass deportation plans. 

But while Homan may face opposition from Illinois Democrats, there’s one Democratic leader willing to work with him: Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker. 

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“Violent criminals who are undocumented and convicted of violent crime should be deported,” Pritzker said at a Northwest Side GOP gathering last week. “I do not want them in my state, I don’t think they should be in the United States.”

Pritzker, 59, is considered a potential 2028 Democratic presidential hopeful.

Fox News Digital’s Adam Shaw and Pilar Arias contributed to this report.