Midwest
Chicago alderman says Mayor Brandon Johnson can't defend sanctuary city policies: 'Lamb to the slaughter'
A Chicago alderman said Mayor Brandon Johnson has “no defense” ahead of his congressional testimony on the sanctuary city’s policies.
“As far as the mayor going to D.C., he’s going like a lamb going to the slaughter,” Chicago Alderman Anthony Napolitano told Fox News Digital.
“There’s no answer for this,” the alderman of Chicago’s 41st ward said about how the city’s policies have impacted residents. “We should not have been a sanctuary city to begin with. You’re punishing taxpayers by using their money to help the illegals.”
Johnson, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and Denver Mayor Mike Johnston are set to defend their cities’ sanctuary status before Congress on Wednesday.
ICE ARREST OF MIGRANT SPARKS ANGER PROTEST BEFORE VIOLENT GANG TIES EXPOSED
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is criticizing ICE operations there. (Christopher Dilts/Bloomberg via Getty Images | Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Mayor Johnson: “We’re going to hold to our values”
During a news conference last week, Johnson previewed his stance, emphasizing his commitment to defending Chicago’s policies.
“We’re going to hold to our values, and whether or not we can get our message across in that particular room doesn’t mean that I’m gonna stop delivering the message of hope,” he said. “March 5 or any other day I’m gonna show up, I’m gonna show up for the people of Chicago as I’ve always done.”
On the city’s website, Johnson touts the “city’s 560,000 foreign-born residents.”
“Chicago will always be a welcoming city and a champion for the rights of our immigrant and refugee communities,” he wrote.
CHICAGO OFFICIALS WALK BACK CLAIM REPEATED BY GOV THAT ICE RAIDED SCHOOL, REVEAL WHAT REALLY HAPPENED
Migrants are led from one bus to another bus after arriving from Texas at Union Station on Sept. 9, 2022 in Chicago. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Napolitano, a first-generation American, said that Chicago’s sanctuary city policies were put to the test when illegals flooded the Windy City.
“When we first became a sanctuary city, it was easy to do. It was a pat on our administration’s back, because the [southern] border is 1,450 miles away,” he said. “But when they came, and they came in large amounts – up to 50,000-60,000 people – it hurt our infrastructure.”
He shared that the city was not prepared to provide free housing for the tens of thousands of migrants.
“It hurt a city that is already facing an astronomical amount of crime here because of policies that have been passed by progressives and socialists,” he said. “It’s made the criminal more of the victim and the victim more of the criminal.”
“They’re bringing all these people here and promising a better way of life,” he said. “But they have no programs set up for them.”
Demonstrators face off with Chicago PD after they breach the barrier outside the United Center where the DNC is being held in Chicago on Monday, Aug. 19 2024. Pro-Hamas demonstrators descended on the Windy City to protest the U.S. government’s handling of the conflict in the Middle East. (Fox News Digital)
The absence of programs has contributed to a rise in migrant-related crime, adding to the city’s ongoing struggle with crime rates, Napolitano said.
“There’s a lot of people just standing around doing nothing that, who are, unfortunately, reverting to crime, looking for a way to support themselves and their family,” he said. “It happened in my own ward. We had a homicide of a man by two illegal immigrants that had murdered him.”
FOUR ‘SANCTUARY CITY’ MAYORS PREP FOR GRILLING IN CONGRESS THIS WEEK: ‘HELD ACCOUNTABLE’
To add to the city’s compounding problem, police are struggling to attract and retain officers.
“When I became a Chicago police officer, I took the test in 1997, I took it with over 45,000 possible candidates. They can’t get more than 2,000 people to take this job now, or to take the test, to take the job because they’re fearful to take this job,” he said.
Operation Lone Star
In 2022, Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott announced Operation Lone Star to bus migrants to sanctuary cities around the country. Abbott said he was doing it to prevent Texas from shouldering “the burdens imposed by open-border advocates in other parts of the country.”
In Abbott’s controversial program, Texas bussed more than 102,000 migrants to sanctuary cities around the country, with Chicago receiving approximately 51,000 migrants since August 2022.
WATCH: Chicago residents fed up with spending on illegal immigrant
In recent years, resident frustration has boiled over at city council meetings after elected leaders proposed tax hikes to address the city’s budget deficit, as the city grappled with spending more than half a billion dollars on housing and feeding migrants.
“The taxpayers are paying for and funding this illegal migrant crisis,” South Side resident Danielle Carter previously told Fox News Digital. “So, therefore, it’s not fair to us because they are taking our resources. They are spending our tax dollars on people who crossed the border illegally. I think everybody who came over here illegally should get deported and come back legally.”
President Donald Trump listens during a Cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025. (Pool via AP)
Johnson’s hearing on Wednesday is likely to represent a flash point in the ongoing battle between the city and the GOP-controlled U.S. House of Representatives and the Trump administration.
The Trump administration is attempting to strip sanctuary cities of all federal funding, with Chicago receiving approximately $4 billion annually from the federal government.
From left to right, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu are scheduled to testify before Congress. (Getty/AP)
Kentucky Rep. James Comer, the committee’s chair, has accused all four mayors of prioritizing “criminal illegal aliens over the American people.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to Johnson’s office for comment.
Fox News’ Joshua Nelson contributed to this report.
Read the full article from Here
Minneapolis, MN
St. Paul and Minneapolis mayoral inaugurations hint at challenges ahead – MinnPost
November’s surprising elections that lifted Kaohly Her to leadership in St. Paul and saw Jacob Frey’s return to Minneapolis culminated this week in inauguration ceremonies offering hints at how the leaders may approach their roles over the next four years.
But while Her’s ceremony felt almost like an introduction to a relative newcomer, Frey, voted in for a third term, hammered well-worn themes.
“First” was the word of the day at St. Paul’s St. Catherine University, hosting Her’s inauguration — not only the first female mayor of the city, but the first to be a woman of color, an Asian-American, an immigrant and of Hmong ancestry.
The St. Kate’s location offered a symbolic touch as one of the only women’s colleges in the nation and an establishment with strong outreach to the Hmong community.
Following accolades from friends and fellow officials, Her laid down what she said were foundational aspects of her mayorship, like concerns over rising property taxes and deferred maintenance of city resources, like arenas.
“I will never come to you without numbers, data points or a plan,” Her said.
Compare that to Mayor Frey’s inauguration, held at the Pantages Theater in downtown Minneapolis as part of the swearing in of public officials including the Minneapolis City Council.
Frey needs no introduction to most of the city’s residents — certainly not to the protesters who interrupted the beginning of his speech by yelling the names of domestic violence victims and holding up flags emblazoned with “FTP,” a phrase often used to disparage law enforcement.

The mayor drew on previous terms, saying his administration would continue leaning into their work to support more affordable housing throughout the city, build more diverse public safety departments and revitalize areas like the former Kmart site along Lake Street.
Frey’s speech neatly compared what he said were national crises, like ICE raids, to Minneapolis’ harsh winters, saying the best way to weather both was together. And in a nod that seemed aimed at the City Council’s recent dysfunction, he repeated some councilors’ calls “not for chaos or blame, but for partnership.”
Her commented on recent federal attention as well, saying the Trump administration was “determined to make life more difficult.” She shared a goal of removing federal officers’ ability to stage in public parks and wear masks.
From Anoka to the Iron Range, a preview of Minnesota legislative battlegrounds in 2026
“I am determined not to allow this federal administration to turn us against each other,” Her said.
Both mayors bemoaned the current state of politics, with Frey alluding to the “frayed and even dangerous discourse” faced not only by candidates but by campaign teams and families. Her became emotional speaking about her friendship with late House speaker Melissa Hortman, assassinated in June.
Asked by MinnPost about their colleagues across the river, Her said, “the bond between St. Paul and Minneapolis is one of the most unique and special connections in the whole country. It’s what makes our region so great.” Her mentioned her hope to share meals and advice with Frey, “like we did last month.”
Frey called the Twin Cities’ partnership “the strongest force in Minnesota.” In Her, he said he has “a partner who believes that cities should be relentlessly focused on delivering for our residents and improving lives. I can’t wait to work with her to lift up both of our cities.”
Both mayors clearly shared at least one goal: an interest in their audience leaving the inaugurations energized.
In Minneapolis, Frey and others onstage broke out dance moves to Kennadi Watkins’ rendition of Aretha Franklin’s “Rock Steady.”
In St. Paul, as people made their way to the doors, “Golden,” from the hit film “KPop Demon Hunters” — a song about claiming the many contrasting identities within one person — blasted over the speakers.
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Indianapolis, IN
Between Springfield And Indianapolis Is Illinois’ Cozy City With A Buzzing Main Street – Islands
Resting between the United States’s pulsing coasts and among its inland cities-du-jour (lookin’ at you, Austin, Texas), lies an embarrassment of bite-sized riches. Small, intimate locales that offer a counterweight to New York City’s megawatt pulse, or San Francisco’s erudite cool. Places like Monticello, a cozy Illinois city with a lively Main Street that may be the exact opposite of the Instagram-worthy destinations drawing masses of visitors. Sandwiched between Springfield and Indianapolis, the small city of about 6,000 instead offers a big dose of small-town charm and humility.
Monticello holds an underappreciated place in history. Abraham Lincoln, still a young lawyer, spent time in the local Tenbrook Hotel as he traveled the Eighth Judicial Circuit, cutting his teeth as an aspiring legal mind. He also had a knack for turning social events inside out. One infamous scene involved Honest Abe persuading children to heat an inflated pig’s bladder in a fireplace. The ensuing explosion sent hot coals all over the room, with Lincoln setting a broom on fire trying to clean up the mess.
You won’t find any bouncy pig bladders or flaming brooms, but his time in the area is commemorated with “Looking for Lincoln” plaques scattered at places he frequented during his time there and the rest of Illinois. Monticello gladly embraces its history, offering a perfect counterbalance to Urbana-Champaign, a trendy college town with thriving arts and vibrant culture that’s 30 minutes away. It’s an idyllic weekend getaway for travelers tired of slapping hashtags on everything.
Check out Main Street, dine, and ride the rails
The cozy city offers a Baby Bear’s porridge version of a big-ticket destination: not so overwhelming that the average traveler burns out from the heat, yet also not so chill that it leaves visitors twiddling their thumbs. The town’s downtown area, which orbits around Main Street, gives visitors a chance to see the small city’s best offerings and spend a little cash. There’s No Place Like Home, just off Washington Street, has a delightful collection of antiques, jewelry, and upcycled tchotchkes that make splurging a guilt-free exercise. Mary, Maude & Me, an antique store just two blocks away in a charming little brick house, has a similarly eclectic, well-curated inventory of vintage wares. Next, it’s time to chug along to the town’s biggest draw.
Any visit must include a stop at the Monitcello Railway Museum. Its weekend train rides offer a time portal back to an era when rails and steam engines helped small towns like Monticello expand. Bookended by two depots, the museum’s dozens of historic trains reward passengers with a sense they’re on the set of a “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.” Afterward, your stomach will likely grumble. Thankfully, Monticello offers plenty of dining options.
The smattering of small eateries covers a wide breadth of humble food options, sans white tablecloths. Hankering for some Mexican? Casa Real and Las Marias have you covered. Those in more of a lunch pail and hard hat mood can hit the Brown Bag Deli. Its mix of wraps, sandwiches, and full-on meals will satiate exactly the ravenous hunger one feels after spending time on a railroad.
The ins and outs of visiting Monticello
No matter where you’re traveling from, you’ll need a car to reach the city. Despite its proximity to several larger metropolises, Monticello’s closest airport is the University of Illinois Willard Airport, a comparatively small hub that often requires a transfer at Chicago O’Hare to reach. The closest major transit hub, Indianapolis International Airport, unfortunately, is two hours away. The drive in, however, offers plenty of worthwhile pit stops. About halfway between the airport and Monticello, you’ll find Danville, an underrated Illinois city that’s a peaceful lakeside retreat.
Monticello’s diminutive size limits your available accommodations. A single chain hotel and a smaller inn are the only available options, costing between $75 and $200. Decatur, itself an underrated Midwest gem with trails, public art, and a zoo, sits about half an hour away and offers some more places to overnight.
While there’s no wrong time to visit Monticello, the muggy summers and chilly winters mean the weather’s most pleasant during the shoulder season. If you’re in town between June and October, include a stop at the city’s farmers’ market. Local vendors offer everything from baked goods to flowers, along with the usual smattering of fresh produce. No inflated pig bladders, though.
Cleveland, OH
Ohio high school girls basketball scores: Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026
CLEVELAND, Ohio — OHSAA girls basketball scores from Tuesday in Ohio, as provided by The Associated Press.
Ada 37, Lima Cent. Cath. 19
Amanda-Clearcreek 61, Bloom-Carroll 51
Archbold 51, Holgate 10
Ashland Mapleton 58, Ashland Crestview 40
Baltimore Liberty Union 58, Lancaster Fairfield Union 50
Bay (OH) 56, Westlake 29
Bluffton 49, Lima Shawnee 48
Bryan 72, Van Wert 34
Bucyrus Wynford 58, Sycamore Mohawk 55
Carey 48, New Washington Buckeye Cent. 33
Castalia Margaretta 48, Norwalk 28
Circleville Logan Elm 62, Cols. Hamilton Twp. 29
Cle. E. Tech def. Cle. Max Hayes, forfeit
Cle. Hay 89, Cle. Collinwood 4
Cle. John Marshall 68, Cle. Glenville 4
Clyde 46, Port Clinton 42
Cols. Eastmoor 54, West 39
Cols. Franklin Hts. 63, Bishop Ready 41
Cols. Grandview Hts. 59, Worthington Christian 39
Cols. Linden-McKinley 53, East 14
Cols. Walnut Ridge 53, Columbus South 28
Continental 47, Defiance Ayersville 45
Delphos Jefferson 41, Wapakoneta 40
Dublin Coffman 47, Marysville 38
Elida 52, Ft. Jennings 16
Gahanna Cols. Academy 66, Whitehall-Yearling 20
Grove City 43, Hilliard Bradley 17
Hamler Patrick Henry 54, Leipsic 23
Haviland Wayne Trace 35, Delta 26
Hilliard Davidson 42, Dublin Scioto 30
Independence 43, N. Ridgeville Lake Ridge 19
Ironton Rock Hill 30, Grace Christian, W.Va. 28
Jackson Center 55, Lima Perry 6
Johnstown 34, Pataskala Watkins Memorial 17
Kalida 50, Van Wert Lincolnview 34
London Madison-Plains 89, Tree of Life 10
McComb 56, McGuffey Upper Scioto Valley 37
Mt. Blanchard Riverdale 47, Dola Hardin Northern 39
Mt. Vernon 64, Newark Cath. 37
N. Robinson Col. Crawford 41, Attica Seneca E. 37
Newark 60, Dublin Jerome 52
Norwood 47, Cin. Seven Hills 42
Oak Harbor 48, Pemberville Eastwood 22
Ottoville 47, Lima Bath 31
Paulding 48, Convoy Crestview 33
Portsmouth 46, Ashland Blazer, Ky. 32
Seton 46, Cin. Oak Hills 44
Sherwood Fairview 53, Metamora Evergreen 37
South Point 53, Portsmouth Notre Dame 49
Spencerville 32, St Marys 31
Streetsboro 56, Lodi Cloverleaf 48
Tiffin Calvert 57, Vanlue 28
Tol. Ottawa Hills 61, Lakeside Danbury 24
Upper Sandusky 52, Bucyrus 10
Utica 43, Pataskala Licking Hts. 39
Van Buren 36, Harrod Allen E. 27
Wauseon 43, Defiance 39
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