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Chicago officials have named one of the city\u2019s newest snowplows \u201cAbolish ICE,\u201d a decision backed and celebrated by Democratic Mayor Brandon Johnson as part of a citywide naming contest.<\/span><\/p>\n Johnson announced the winning entries Monday, crediting residents for their \u201cunmatched creativity, sense of humor, and civic pride\u201d after more than 39,000 votes were cast. But one name in particular stood out: \u201cAbolish ICE,\u201d which accounted for roughly 70% of submissions, around 9,200 entries. The name is a direct reference to calls from the political left to eliminate Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and comes as the Trump administration ramps up deportation efforts nationwide.<\/span><\/p>\n Johnson had previously thrown his full support behind the name, saying it aligned with the city\u2019s broader political posture. \u201cAs a city we have stood firm on our values,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cWe have to take a stronger look at how this administration has used ICE and how it has caused tremendous harm.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n That posture has defined Chicago\u2019s response to federal immigration enforcement over the past year. In 2025, the city became a flashpoint during \u201cOperation Midway Blitz,\u201d a large-scale federal crackdown that triggered protests, political clashes, and, at times, violence.<\/span><\/p>\n In <\/span>one incident<\/span><\/a> during the operation, federal agents were reportedly \u201crammed by vehicles and boxed in by 10 cars,\u201d according to the Department of Homeland Security. One of the individuals involved was armed, and agents were forced to fire defensive shots. Authorities also said local police declined to assist federal officers in securing the scene as crowds gathered.<\/span><\/p>\n Elsewhere, protesters were seen obstructing enforcement actions, including an incident in which an agitator threw a tear gas canister toward federal agents. The confrontations underscored the deep divide between federal immigration authorities and local leadership in Chicago.<\/span><\/p>\n Illinois\u2019 sanctuary policies have further fueled that divide, with state and city officials repeatedly criticizing ICE operations while limiting cooperation with federal enforcement. Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D-IL) has accused federal authorities of \u201ccausing chaos,\u201d while the Trump administration has argued local resistance undermines public safety and immigration law.<\/span><\/p>\n Against that backdrop, Johnson\u2019s embrace of \u201cAbolish ICE\u201d as an official city snowplow name reflects more than a tongue-in-cheek contest entry; it signals a continuation of Chicago\u2019s broader opposition to federal immigration policy and general anti-ICE sentiment among urban left-wingers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Other snowplow names selected through the contest included \u201cStephen Coldbert,\u201d \u201cPope Fr\u00edo XIV,\u201d \u201cThe Blizzard of Oz,\u201d \u201cSvencoolie,\u201d and \u201cCaleb Chilliams.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The announcement came as Johnson was also addressing ongoing concerns about violent crime in the city, including cases involving illegal immigrants, following the murder of <\/span>18-year-old Sheridan Gorman, allegedly at the hands of an illegal alien.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n \u201cYou automatically think about your own children,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cThere\u2019s no words that one could express that could properly console a family that lost their baby.\u201d Johnson emphasized that his administration would \u201ccontinue to pray\u201d for victims while pledging to \u201cdouble down\u201d on efforts to create safer communities, even as he maintained that Chicago remains a place \u201cwhere young people are thriving and growing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s ungodly what happens in the streets across America with gun violence,\u201d he added, pointing to his administration\u2019s broader gun rights restriction approach, while acknowledging that in this case, \u201cthat hard work did not result in their child still being here.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n The juxtaposition \u2014 elevating a politically charged slogan on city equipment while confronting, or failing to confront, ongoing public safety concerns \u2014 highlights a central tension facing Chicago and other \u201csanctuary\u201d cities: how to balance activist-driven messaging with the core responsibility of protecting residents.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n