At a Chicago press briefing, Mayor Brandon Johnson rebuked a reporter’s use of "illegal aliens," calling the phrase dehumanizing and refusing to accept what he described as racist language. He drew a historical parallel by noting that the legal term for Black people once was "slaves," arguing for terms like "undocumented individuals" to emphasize humanity. The question that prompted the exchange concerned a reported requirement for the city to submit migrant-related spending details to the White House, a matter left unresolved in the briefing. Johnson posted the clip to his official Instagram with a caption stressing that migrants are human beings and rejecting language he said reduces people to labels. Rep. Pramila Jayapal backed Johnson’s framing by noting immigration is largely a civil system, while conservative outlets criticized his remarks and highlighted the phrase’s legal usage and AP style debates.
