Brandon Johnson ally ousted for ‘manhandling’ councilwoman ahead of meeting on immigration crisis

A top ally of Mayor Brandon Johnson resigned as the Chicago City Council’s floor leader on Monday after he received criticism for allegedly “manhandling” a councilwoman to prevent her from attending a meeting on the city’s sanctuary status.

Alderman Carlos Ramirez-Rosa resigned from his leadership positions, Johnson announced on Monday, according to the Chicago Tribune. His resignation was demanded by several colleagues who accused Ramirez-Rosa of “physical and verbal harassment” after he sought to prevent Alderwoman Emma Mitts from entering a special council meeting last week.

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The meeting centered on a ballot referendum question regarding Chicago’s sanctuary status. Illinois is one of a handful of states designated as sanctuary states, while Chicago is the state’s only sanctuary city. Several Democratic-led cities, such as Chicago, New York City, and Washington, D.C., have been hit with an influx of immigrants from Republican-led southern border states — a major policy issue in Johnson’s administration since his inauguration in May.

Ramirez-Rosa served as Johnson’s floor leader, working to push legislation favored by the mayor and halt measures that were not. On Thursday, city councilors were called for a special meeting to discuss the nonbinding referendum to add to next spring’s ballot, but some aldermen, including Ramirez-Rosa, encouraged others not to show up.

In a censure letter prepared over the weekend, Alderman Scott Waguespack said Ramirez-Rosa “physically blocked” Mitts from entering chambers “by forcibly using his elbow and shoulder.” She eventually did get into the meeting.

Johnson said on Monday that, after having conversations with Mitts and Ramirez-Rosa, “Alderman Ramirez-Rosa and I agreed he should step down from his positions as Chicago City Council Floor Leader and Chair of the Committee on Zoning, Landmarks, and Building Standards.” Ramirez-Rosa’s resignation as zoning chairman will be effective Dec. 1.

“Tensions were high at a chaotic meeting, and I let that get the best of me, leading me to act in a way unbecoming of a leader,” Ramirez-Rosa said in a statement on Monday. “I sincerely apologize to my colleague, Alderwoman Emma Mitts, for the disrespectful interaction outside of Council Chambers. I also apologize to other colleagues who I have heard also felt disrespected and harmed by my actions — Alderpeople [Nicole] Lee, [Felix] Cardona, and [Chris] Taliaferro.”

“I feel awful about everything that happened. I have reached out to my colleagues to apologize directly and seek to make amends. I made mistakes, and I learned valuable lessons. I take full responsibility for what I’ve done,” Ramirez-Rosa continued, adding that he hopes the council can “rebuild the trust we have in each other.”

Ramirez-Rosa was against the “debate” on Chicago’s sanctuary city status, stating that people are unaware of how the ordinance establishing the status works. He said the sanctuary city status refers to law enforcement and government officials not cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Providing resources to immigrants is about the city’s values, Ramirez-Rosa said — it’s not written in the ordinance.

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“That is what is frustrating about the ‘debate,’ because people who are attacking the Sanctuary City Ordinance don’t know what they are talking about,” Ramirez-Rosa said, per ABC 7 Chicago. “It has nothing to do with the refugee resettlement or the current crisis.”

He claimed Thursday’s meeting violated state law and sent a text to aldermen asking them not to attend so there would not be enough members for a quorum. Many of Johnson’s strongest supporters did not show up. There was a quorum after two tries, and the meeting started, but the referendum never came to a vote because of confusion and debate over the rules. The council is now in recess until Tuesday morning, when the meeting will continue.