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Chicago mayor urges UN to hold US to global human rights standards

Saturday, 08 November 2025 1:49 AM [ Last Update: Saturday, 08 November 2025 1:49 AM ]

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has called on the United Nations Human Rights Council to investigate what he termed the worsening human rights crisis in the United States, where even basic international obligations are being ignored.

“This administration seeks to evade scrutiny for its violations of human rights—just as it has sought to evade accountability for its actions in cities like mine,” Johnson stated on Friday.

He urged the United Nations to apply the same standards to the US as it does to other nations.

“We cannot do this alone,” Johnson remarked. “That is why I call on this Council to hold the federal government of the United States to the same standards of accountability you apply elsewhere in the world. No country should be above international law. Human rights are universal—or they are meaningless.”

He cited several examples of violations under the Donald Trump administration, including the deployment of the National Guard in US cities, the militarization of law enforcement, and harsh immigration crackdowns.

These examples, he argued, represent serious setbacks that the council must investigate.

Chicago and many other major US cities have experienced weeks of federal military intervention aimed at deporting undocumented immigrants. This has included the use of tear gas to disperse protests and the forced removal of parents from vehicles in school pickup lines.

Johnson also criticized federal cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, stating that such measures have exacerbated food insecurity for residents. “As someone with firsthand experience, I can tell you how humiliating it is when you open the refrigerator and there is nothing to eat,” he said.

“In the wealthiest country in the world, there is no reason why our federal government should allow hundreds of thousands of Chicagoans to go hungry,” the mayor said.

Additionally, Johnson condemned federal immigration enforcement practices, accusing agents of conducting violent raids that have separated families and detained children.

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“In Chicago, we live with the consequences of that moral failure every day—families torn apart by immigration raids that have targeted daycare teachers, ride-share drivers, and restaurant cooks. These are honest, hardworking, law-abiding individuals who contribute to the soul of Chicago and literally make our city run.”

Johnson reaffirmed Chicago’s commitment to protecting immigrants through the city’s Welcoming City Ordinance and community-based "Rapid Response" networks.

He concluded his remarks by inviting UN leaders to visit Chicago to witness the impact of these issues firsthand.

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