Radical left-wing Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson was captured on video leading “Abolish ICE” protesters during the May Day demonstrations held in the Windy City on May 1, 2026. May Day, or International Workers’ Day, has deep roots within the city’s history. It commemorates the Haymarket Affair, which is considered by many to be a pivotal moment in labor history that took place in Chicago on May 4, 1886.
Earlier that morning, Johnson praised students and teachers from Chicago Public Schools for participating in the rally, saying, “Shout-out to all of the students in our Chicago Public Schools and our educators who have declared this day of civic action. The labor movement is in good hands because we have students across this city that are raising awareness of what justice looks like, not just in Chicago but all over the world.”
While the main focus of such events is to allegedly draw attention to workers’ rights, a lot of other left-wing causes were represented at demonstrations across the country, including those against President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement operations, executed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Protesters held signs calling for the government to “Abolish ICE” and other pro-illegal immigration slogans.
In the clip, Johnson can be seen clearly leading that particular group of individuals. Johnson has made it clear since President Trump’s push to remove criminal illegal aliens off the streets of Chicago started that he is in direct opposition to those efforts. In October 2025, Johnson established “ICE-free zones” on city property.
He also signed an executive order in January 2026, called “ICE On Notice,” which prohibits federal immigration authorities from using city property in their raids and gives local police authority to both document and potentially prosecute agents for any misconduct they witness. “We will not tolerate ICE agents violating our residents’ constitutional rights nor will we allow the federal government to disregard our local authority,” Johnson said concerning the orders.
“ICE agents are detaining elected officials, tear-gassing protesters, children, and Chicago police officers, and abusing Chicago residents. We will not stand for that in our city. With this Executive Order, Chicago stands firm in protecting the Constitutional rights of our residents and immigrant communities and upholding our democracy,” he continued.
A few other causes that were raised by both speakers and protesters at the May Day event included the U.S. war with Iran and the increasing influence and alleged “dominance” of billionaires over American workers. According to Block Club Chicago, Lawrence Benito, the executive director of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, said, “Only in unity can we win the liberation that we seek and deserve for workers’ rights, voting rights, immigrant rights, racial justice and economic justice.”
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“This is a growing national movement to not only defend our communities, but also to fight for dignity, safety and justice,” Benito added. A commenter on the video clip showing Johnson participating in the protest asked, “What, exactly, does ICE have to do with May Day?” Another Facebook user suggested something different to celebrate, saying, “How about celebrating your country parade? 250 years for America!”
Featured Image: screenshot from embedded video