DRIVE CHANGE.

>> MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON RECENTLY RELEASED THE PEOPLE'S PLAN FOR COMMUNITY SAFETY.

THE TARGETS RESOURCES TO SOME OF THE CITY'S MOST AT RISK NEIGHBORHOODS AS COMES AS THE MAYOR AND CITY ARE FACING AN AVALANCHE OF PROBLEMS STEMMING FROM THE MIGRANT CRISIS WITH A TRAGIC THAT THIS WEEK OF A 5 YEAR-OLD STAYING IN PILSEN SHELTER AND NEWS TODAY, AS YOU JUST HEARD THAT TEXAS IS CHARTERING PLANES TO FLY MORE MIGRANTS TO CHICAGO.

AND JOINING US NOW TO ANSWER ALL THESE QUESTIONS AND MORE MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON.

MAYOR, JUST A FEW THINGS ON YOUR PLATE AS YOU JOIN US TONIGHT.

YEAH, GOOD EVENING.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME TONIGHT.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

OF COURSE, WE WANT TO GET INTO THIS COMMUNITY SAFETY PLAN THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM UNVEILED RECENTLY.

BUT WE, AS PARIS MENTIONED, GOT TO TALK ABOUT THE MIGRANT CRISIS AND WTW NEWS LEARNING THAT TEXAS IS CHARTERING CHARTERING A PRIVATE PLANE THAT LANDED LAST NIGHT WITH JUST UNDER 100 MIGRANTS TO CHICAGO.

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE SITUATION SO FAR, WHAT WE KNOW IS, AS I'VE SAID REPEATEDLY, THE GOVERNOR OF TEXAS IS DETERMINED TO CREATE CHAOS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.

>> AND THIS IS AFTER THE CITY OF QOM CITY COUNCIL PASSED AN ORDINANCE THAT I PUT FORWARD TO PROVIDE MORE STRUCTURE TO PROVIDE MORE CALM AND SOME MORE COORDINATION WITH HOW BUSES ARE ARRIVING IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO AND QUITE FRANKLY, WOODS ACTUALLY QUITE DISTURBING IS THAT MANY OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE COMING FROM THE BORDER.

THERE'S NO CORONATION OF THE BORDER EITHER.

SO MANY OF THE INDIVIDUALS ARE NOT BEING TREATED THERE NOT BEING PROCESS.

THEY'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, GETTING MEDICAL ATTENTION.

SO BY THE TIME ARRIVE IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO, THEY'RE COMING IN QUITE SEVERE CONDITIONS.

COLD, TIRED, WET, HUNGRY.

I'M TRAUMATIZED.

I'M THE TYPE OF CHAOS THAT THIS GOVERNOR'S INSISTENCE ON CREATING THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE COUNTRY.

MY ADMINISTRATION IN 7 MONTHS HAS LITERALLY STOOD UP DOZENS OF SHELTERS.

WE HAVE OVER 14,000 THAT ARE LIVING IN SHELTERS RIGHT NOW.

WE'RE PROVIDING MEDICAL CARE VACCINATIONS SCREENINGS.

THE COOK COUNTY GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN AN INCREDIBLE PARTNER AS WE SET UP APPOINTMENTS FOR THESE FOR THESE FAMILIES, PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION FOR THESE FAMILIES TO GET MEDICAL TREATMENT.

I'M ALMOST 5,000 STUDENTS RIGHT NOW IN THE CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAT WE ARE EDUCATING, MOST OF THEM ARE PRE-K TO 3RD GRADE.

AND SO THE CITY OF CHICAGO HAD TO BEAR THIS INCREDIBLE RESPONSIBILITY WHILE THE SAME TIME OF THE IGNORANCE THAT'S COMING FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS IS CAUSING A BREACH OF THE TYPE OF CHAOS THAT THAT NOT JUST THE CITY'S EXPERIENCE, BUT THE ENTIRE COUNTRY'S EXPERIENCE.

AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE SHELTERS THEMSELVES AS BUT WE KNOW THE CITY'S ALSO CRACK DOWN ON BUSES, FINING HIM POUNDING THOSE THAT DROP MIGRANTS OUTSIDE OF THE AGREED UPON TIMES AND ZONES.

>> WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE THE IMPACT OF THAT CRACKDOWN SO FAR?

YOU KNOW, WILL CLEARLY THE GOVERNOR IS TRYING TO CIRCUMVENT LAW.

I MEAN, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, LAWLESSNESS THAT HE IS ENGAGED IN RIGHT NOW.

>> AND AGAIN, THE ENTIRE IMPETUS BEHIND THIS ORDINANCE WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WAS COORDINATION THAT WAS TAKING PLACE FROM THE BORDER AND THE CITY OF CHICAGO.

WE HAVE ATTEMPTED AND EVERY POSSIBLE WAY TO PROVIDE THE TYPE OF STRUCTURE AND CALM TO A HUMANITARIAN CRISIS, QUITE FRANKLY, IS GLOBAL.

THIS IS AN INTERNATIONAL CRISIS AS GLOBAL POPULATION SHIFTS TAKE PLACE ALL OVER THE WORLD AND WHAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING.

THE CITY OF CHICAGO IS DIRECT RESULT OF AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS NOT COMMITTED TO THAT TO THAT TYPE OF ACCOUNTABILITY.

AND SO WE'VE PUT FORTH VERY CLEAR GUIDELINES.

YOU CAN FAMILIES OFF.

BUSES CAN COME TO THE CITY OF CHICAGO BETWEEN THESE PARTICULAR HOURS.

WE HAVE TO HAVE A 48 HOUR NOTICE.

WE NEED TO FORM AN OFFENSE.

WE NEED TO KNOW WHO WAS ON THE BUS, THE CONDITIONS IN WHICH THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE ARRIVING SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THE TYPE OF CARE THAT'S NEEDED THOSE RULES BEING FOLLOWED OR ARE THEY?

ARE THEY MEETING THAT THAT REQUIRE THEY'RE NOT?

THEY'RE NOT.

THEY'RE NOT FOLLOWING THE RULES RIGHT IN AND WHAT WE HAVE SEEN.

AND THIS IS GOING TO BE A DYNAMIC THAT'S NOT JUST GOING TO BE THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, BUT REALLY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.

WE NOW HAVE ROLE BUSES DROPPING OFF FAMILIES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT IN VARIOUS CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE TYPE OF CHAOS DISRUPTION THAT THE GOVERNOR OF TEXAS IS DETERMINED TO TO CREATE AND CAUSE.

WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO DO WITH THIS VERY OVERWHELMING INTERNATIONAL CRISIS THAT IS PLACE.

THE CITY OF CHICAGO HAS A TARGET BY THIS GOVERNOR, SIMPLY BECAUSE HE DOESN'T WANT TO ADD HERE.

THE LAW MENTIONED THAT THE TRAGIC DEATH OF THE 5 YEAR-OLD JOHN CARLOS MARTINEZ, RIVERO.

>> YOU DID A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION YOU PUT OUT LAST NIGHT SAYING THERE'S NO EVIDENCE OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE AT THIS SHELTER IN PILSEN.

WE KNOW AT LEAST 4 OTHER MINERS WERE TAKEN TO HOSPITAL WITH RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS.

THERE ARE A LOT OF FOLKS THAT SOME SAY IT'S WAY OVERCROWDED.

IS IT SAFE TO STAY THERE AND ARE THEY GETTING ACCESS TO ANY KIND OF MEDICAL CARE?

WELL, AGAIN, MY DEEPEST CONDOLENCES, YOU KNOW, FOR THIS FAMILY.

>> INTO THIS FAMILY, THE LOSS OF A CHILD.

THIS BREAKING ALL OF OUR HEARTS.

WHAT I'VE SAID REPEATEDLY IS THAT THIS CRISIS, OF COURSE, THAT IS BEING PROPAGATED BY THE UNRULY BEHAVIOR AND THE RAGGED BEHAVIOR OF THE GOVERNOR OF TEXAS HAS PLACED THE CITY OF CHICAGO FRONT AND CENTER TO DO WITH THIS HUMANITARIAN CRISIS AS INTERNATIONAL.

AND OF COURSE, 1, 1, FAMILIES ARRIVE IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO PROVIDE IMMEDIATE ON SITE MEDICAL CARE.

WE PROVIDE VACCINATIONS INFECTION PREVENTION AGAIN.

COOK COUNTY GOVERNMENT IS PROVIDING MEDICAL CARE AS WELL.

AND WE PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE FAMILIES MAKE THEIR POINTS COME IN.

THIS SHELTER IS SAFE, THOUGH.

THIS PILLS UNSHELTERED.

WELL, EVERYTHING THAT I'VE DONE OVER THE COURSE OF THESE FOR 7 MONTHS IS TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF ALL OF THE MIGRANTS TO DERIVE THE NEW YEAR.

AND, YOU KNOW, THE CONCERNS THAT PEOPLE HAVE EXPRESSED.

THESE ARE NEW CONCERNS.

REMEMBER, THERE WERE 4,000 PEOPLE LIVING ON FLOORS AND POLICE DISTRICTS.

THERE WERE AMBULATORY RUNS THAT WERE HAPPENING THERE.

THAT WAS UNHEALTHY WAS ON DIGNIFIED.

ELIMINATED ALL OF OUR POLICE DISTRICT.

DID THAT WITHIN THIS.

MY ADMINISTRATION TURN THIS THING AROUND 7 MONTHS.

AND REMEMBER, THERE WAS NO BUDGET THAT WAS APPROPRIATED FROM THE PREVIOUS CITY COUNCIL.

SO NOT ONLY DO THEY HAVE TO STAND UP A NEW SHELTER EVERY SINGLE WEEK WE HAD TO PUT FORTH APPROPRIATIONS AND THEN WE HAD TO RENEGOTIATE A CONTRACT WITH FAVORITE STAFFING TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING EQUITABLE.

THERE'S THERE'S A ONE STAFFING, SHELTER, 40 MILLION DOLLAR CONTRACT WITH THEM.

THERE BEEN REPORTS ABOUT HOW THEY BUILD THE CITY FOR 80 PLUS OUR WORK WEEK.

>> ARE THEY CULPABLE AT ALL FOR WHAT'S HAPPENED AT THE SHELTER?

YOU CONFIDENT IN THEIR WORDS WHEN WE HAVE REAL CONTROL OVER HOW WE ACTUALLY MEASURED OUTCOMES.

AND OF COURSE, WE'RE CONSTANTLY WORKING TO MAKE THIS SITUATION BETTER BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT THE CONDITIONS IN WHICH FAMILIES ARE ARRIVING IN OUR DIRECT RESULT OF THE CHAOS THE BORDER.

AND WHAT WE'VE SAID REPEATEDLY, THERE HAS TO BE A COORDINATED EFFORT, NOT JUST FOR THE CITY OF CHICAGO, BUT CITIES THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE COUNTRY THAT ARE DEALING WITH THIS CRISIS AT THE HANDS OF AN INDIVIDUAL WHO WAS WHO WAS ELECTED TO TO PROTECT AND TO SERVE AND TO HONOR INTEREST OF OUR OF OUR COUNTRY.

AND HE IS CIRCUMVENTING ALL THAT.

ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT.

MAYOR NOW REVEALS THAT A POTENTIAL BASE CAMP SITE AT 100 15TH AND HALSTED >> IS POLLUTED WITH CONTAMINANTS FROM AN UNDERGROUND FUEL TANK.

WILL THOSE PLANS BE HALTED TO BUILD THAT SITE?

THERE?

WELL, LOOK, AS DONE, WE HAVE SCOURED THE ENTIRE CITY OF CHICAGO LOOKING FOR SPACE AND PROPERTY TO BE ABLE TO CONFRONT THIS CRISIS AND WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS AT THE COUNTY LEVEL TO PROVIDE SERVICES.

THE GOVERNOR HAS MADE A COMMITMENT, I BELIEVE TO BEDS TO HELP ADDRESS THIS CRISIS.

YOU KNOW, AND OF COURSE, I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO ASSESS ALL OF THE PROPERTY AND THE PROPERTY THAT IS BEST SITUATED IN ORDER TO MEET THE DEMAND OF THIS MOMENT, WE'RE GOING MAKE SURE THAT EVERY OPTION IS STILL AVAILABLE TO RECENTLY LAUNCHED A PEOPLE'S PLAN FOR COMMUNITY SAFETY.

IS YOUR STRATEGY FOR REDUCING VIOLENCE TARGETING SOME >> SOME CORE A NEIGHBORHOOD AREA.

SO HOW'S YOUR PLAYING TO BE DIFFERENT FROM WHAT MAYOR LIGHTFOOT TRYING TO DO, WHAT MAYOR EMANUEL TRYING TO WELL, LOOK, THIS ONGOING DEBATE ON GETTING AT THE ROOT CAUSES.

>> OF OF VIOLENCE.

YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT A NEWER DEVELOPMENT.

REMEMBER WAS LYNDON BAINES JOHNSON THAT ACTUALLY MADE VERY STRONG POINT TO GET AT THE ROOT CAUSES OF VIOLENCE AND CRIME IN THE COUNTRY.

AND OF COURSE, GOVERNOR ALABAMA RIDICULED HIM AND BASICALLY SAID THAT LYNDON BAINES JOHNSON BELIEVES THAT PEOPLE ARE PARTICIPATED IN CRIME BECAUSE A 10 YEAR-OLD DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH WATERMELON TO EAT.

AND SO WHAT I'VE SAID REPEATEDLY THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE CENTURY IN OUR WORK AROUND PEOPLE.

THAT'S WHAT THIS PLAN DOES.

WE ALSO ARE CENTURY NO WORK AROUND PLACES.

WE HAVE LOOKED AT NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE VIOLENCE PERVASIVE.

35 VERY VIOLENT BEATS WHILE ALSO LOOKING AT WHERE SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN CLOSED.

SO THIS COMBINATION OF WHERE SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN CLOSE, WE'RE DISINVESTMENT RUN RAMPANT WHERE VIOLENCE HAS BEEN PERVASIVE.

THIS IS WHERE THE INVESTMENTS NEEDED TO PLACE.

AND THIS IS WHERE THE PARTNERSHIPS COMING.

ANDY.

SO THE FULL FORCE OF GOVERNMENT, ALL OF OUR SISTER AGENCIES, ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS THAT I'M OVER THAT OVERSEE ALONG WITH OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY, OUR PHILANTHROPIC COMMUNITY, THE FULL FORCE OF GOVERNMENT WITH PARTNERSHIPS FROM FAITH, FROM LABOR, FROM COMMUNITY, FROM PHILANTHROPY, FROM BUSINESS TO DIFFERENCE IS YOU ACTUALLY HAVE A MAYOR WHO BELIEVES NOT ONLY GET TO THE ROOT CAUSES OF VIOLENCE, BUT ALSO YOU HAVE A MAYOR THAT BELIEVES IN INVESTING IN PEOPLE.

AND DONE THAT WITHIN THE FIRST 7 MONTHS OF MY ADMINISTRATION.

>> MAYOR, SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT A BIT MORE COMING UP IN THE PROGRAM.

YOU'RE APPOINTED.

SCHOOL BOARD PASSED A RESOLUTION TO CREATE A 5 YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WOULD EVENTUALLY SHIFT AWAY FROM SCHOOL CHOICE HAS SO MANY CPS.

FAMILIES ARE FAMILIAR WITH IT.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR FOR, FOR EXAMPLE, OF CHILDREN WHO ATTEND SELECTIVE ENROLLMENT SCHOOLS.

WHAT EXPECT, WHAT IT MEANS IS THAT CHILDREN WHO ATTEND NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS ARE NOT GOING TO BE IGNORED.

THAT'S WHAT IT MEANS.

YOU KNOW, I SAY THIS OFTEN, PARTICULARLY AS SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER, THE FIRST MAYOR LIKELY IN HISTORY AND CERTAINLY IN MODERN HISTORY WHO ACTUALLY SINCE THEIR CHILDREN TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

I HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN TO MAKING SURE THAT OUR SCHOOLS ARE FULLY SUPPORTED AND FUNDED.

>> BUT OF COURSE, HAS TO THE BOY SAID THAT PUBLIC EDUCATION AT THE EXPENSE OF THE STATE.

HE'S A IDEA AND WHAT HE MEANT WAS THIS IS A GENTLE HOLD 2 GENERATIONS AGO THAT WE HAVE TO INVEST IN PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS.

WHAT I'VE MADE A COMMITMENT TO DOING IS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS ARE NOT LEFT BEHIND THAT EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO ALL OF THE AMENITIES THAT ANY OTHER SCHOOL HAS IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO.

AND I'M COMMITTED TO BRINGING THAT TYPE OF EQUITY AND JUSTICE TO OUR PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM