Mariah Woelfel

1 month ago | wbez.org | Mariah Woelfel

WASHINGTON, D.C. — It was the night before the hearing. And Johnson, the son of a preacher, had called on three Washington, D.C.-area pastors to pray for him. They were gathered in a circle at the National League of Cities building, and one by one, they asked for his appearance to be easy, to be effective — and for his adversaries to be disappointed. “Amen,” the mayor, two senior advisors, and the churchmen said in unison.

1 month ago | wbez.org | Mariah Woelfel

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson was on the congressional hot seat yesterday - testifying before the House Oversight Committee on capitol hill about the city’s sanctuary status. WBEZ’s Mariah Woelfel spent time with Johnson in DC throughout the week and brings us this behind-the-scenes look.

1 month ago | wbez.org | Mariah Woelfel |Tessa Weinberg

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson told Congress Wednesday the city’s sanctuary status helps reduce crime — not exacerbate it. Johnson was called to testify before the Republican-led House Oversight Committee in Washington, D.C., along with the mayors of Boston, New York and Denver. In his opening remarks, Johnson forcefully defended the protections, saying the welcoming city ordinance helps build trust between immigrant communities and police.

1 month ago | chicago.suntimes.com | Fran Spielman |Mariah Woelfel |Lynn Sweet |Adriana Cardona-Maguigad

Mayor Brandon Johnson faces what is expected to be an aggressive attack on Chicago’s sanctuary city policy at a U.S. House Oversight Committee hearing today in Washington, D.C.Johnson will appear before the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform at 9 a.m. Chicago time to defend the city’s law that, in part, restricts police from detaining people solely based on their immigration status — a policy that has been in place since 1985.

1 month ago | ourcommunitynow.com | Mariah Woelfel

Some of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s fiercest former foes are stepping up to help him prepare for what’s expected to be an aggressive attack at a U.S. House Oversight Committee hearing on the city’s sanctuary status in Washington, D.C., next week.