Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson encouraged his city to protest the Trump administration’s immigration raids across the country.

“I am counting on all of Chicago to resist in this moment,” said Johnson, who is a Democrat. “Whatever particular vulnerable group is being targeted today, another group will be next.”

Recommended Stories

• National Guard members have detained LA protesters, commander says: 'Expecting a ramp-up'
• Bass rallies LA-area mayors to condemn 'inhumane' ICE raids that ignited protests
• Fake videos, photos turn Los Angeles protests into hotbed of misinformation

Johnson’s comments come as Los Angeles and other cities have seen protests that have grown violent and rife with vandalism. President Donald Trump has deployed the National Guard and some from the Marine Corps to quell the resistance.

“This is a necessary fight for all of us to be able to push back. Whether we use the courts or whether we continue to protest or raise our voices, dissent matters in this moment,” Johnson said, adding that the protests should remain nonviolent and that doing the opposite could play into Trump’s hands.

“When a small number of protesters set things on fire, it plays into the hands of authoritarians like Donald Trump, who take advantage to ultimately repress all protesters,” Johnson said.

Thousands of protesters marched through the city on Tuesday, urging U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to leave. Johnson said the city’s ability to handle protesters at the Democratic National Convention last year shows it can handle them now.

“What we ended up seeing was thousands of people were able to exercise their First Amendment rights with minimal issues,” Johnson said. “There will always be, unfortunately, a small minority who will take advantage of a protest or demonstration to cause chaos. The vast majority of protesters remained peaceful and organized.”

Chicago is a sanctuary city, and its local police are not authorized to assist immigration officials. They are authorized to control crowds if protests get out of hand, however.

GAVIN NEWSOM BLAMES ANYONE BUT HIMSELF. THAT COULD BACKFIRE IN A PRESIDENTIAL BID

“It is the job of the local police department to keep people safe,” Johnson said.

Johnson’s staff expects ICE raids in the city soon. “There will be tactical teams; there will be mini tanks. There will be other tools; they will plan to do raids, as we saw in Los Angeles,” Johnson’s chief of staff, Cristina Pacione-Zayas, said.