Johnson issues executive orders on immigration, community safety and youth employment

[May 16, 2023]  By Andrew Hensel | The Center Square

(The Center Square) – On his first day in office, Chicago's new mayor issued executive orders on immigration, community safety and youth employment.

Johnson's first act in office was issuing four executive orders. The orders came after Monday's inauguration ceremony at University of Illinois Chicago's Credit Union One Arena.

“As your Mayor, it’s my duty to take bold, immediate action to build a better, stronger, safer Chicago,” Johnson said. “My first executive orders as Mayor of Chicago instruct our government to boost youth employment, so all young Chicagoans can reach their potential across our city, in addition to re-organizing the work of the Deputy Mayors to ensure that my cabinet reflects our top priorities for achieving community safety, supporting new arrivals, and protecting and expanding the right to organize. Together, we will collaborate to build a stronger city for all of us.”

The first order is geared towards youth employment, and the three others each establish a new deputy mayor for three different departments, including one that will focus on immigration rights, another that will focus on community safety, and one that will oversee labor relations.

Executive order 2023-15 directs the Office of Budget and Management to prepare an analysis of all resources in the city's budget that are available to fund youth employment. The order also requires the Deputy Mayor of Education and Health and Human Services to lead all city departments in identifying entry-level jobs for young people.

Ted Dabrowski of Wirepoints told The Center Square that Johnson is wasting no time getting his ideas in place.

"We are seeing him begin some of the things he has promised, boost youth employment, and of course, that means putting more people on the rolls," Dabrowski said. "It may be good for the youth, but it might be expensive for the city."

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson takes the oath of office Monday - BlueRoomStream

Johnson also is establishing a Deputy Mayor for Community Safety that will focus on "eradicating the root causes of crime and violence and advance a comprehensive, healing-centered approach to community safety," according to a news release.

Dabrowski said sooner than later, Chicagoans will see Johnson's ideology come to their city.

"I think we are going to see that overall he is going to put in these policies that he has promised, and when you take a look at his community safety program, for example, and there you see some of the broader rhetoric of how to approach the problem, not through stronger policing and ensuring that criminals are criminals, but more of a softer pitch that he has proposed," Dabrowski said

Chicago residents will soon be able to see Johnson's plans in action, Dabrowski said.

"I think we will feel them pretty quickly," he said. "I think it's going to be a question of who he puts in what positions, and very quickly, we will know whether these people are further to the left than Lori Lightfoot and her team, but I think we will see it pretty quickly."

Walter Burnett Jr. will serve as Johnson's vice mayor. Burnett previously served as the alderman for Chicago's 27th ward, since 1995. Rich Guidice will serve as Johnson's chief of staff.

Chicago now has its 14th consecutive Democrat holding the city's highest office.

Andrew Hensel reports on issues in Chicago and Statewide. He has been with The Center Square News since April of 2021 and was previously with The Joliet Slammers.