Chicago residents furious at Democrats for policies toward migrants
Democratic voters feel this party no longer represents them: Raymond Lopez
Democrat Chicago Alderman Raymond Lopez discusses what he expects as the DNC convention in Chicago approaches on ‘Jesse Watters Primetime.'
Residents' animosity toward the Democratic Party runs deep, according to Chicago Alderman Raymond Lopez, who said the anger has only been getting worse due to the growing migrant crisis.
The local Democratic official joined "Jesse Watters Primetime" Monday to discuss how his residents feel about local leaders in the city after activists vowed to make their voices heard during next summer's Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
Lopez said the Black community feels abandoned and is "no longer feeling the love from Uncle Joe," as the city continues to try to make room and special accommodations for migrants.
Voters expressed their anger this week at a rally near city hall, with one activist saying Democrats should not expect the 2024 political convention to be "peaceful."
"When you take a group of people that have paid no taxes, can't vote and you put them in front of the voters? We're gonna show you how we feel about the Democratic National Convention. If you think you're gonna have a peaceful Democratic National Convention while our people are starving, stay tuned!" he said.
Another woman declared that she was "done with the Democratic Party."
"Mayor Johnson, Governor Pritzker and President Biden have shown us what they think about the Black community all over this country. … I'd rather deal with a snake that's outed himself in the Republican Party, than a snake that's covered up in the Democratic Party!" she said.
As a result, Lopez described what he has heard from the streets of Chicago.
"What they say about Joe Biden, and indeed the entire Democratic Party as a whole, is that most of the Democratic voters feel as though this party no longer represents them."
Lopez said the Democratic Party moved too far to the left, "while leaving a vast majority of our voting base off in the wilderness with nowhere else to go but to the embrace of the Republican Party." He said voters know what to expect from Republicans, while feeling deceived by Democrats.
"I think what they're worried about is that the Democratic Party vocalizes all kinds of things and then does not deliver, actually does quite the opposite," he told Watters.
Mayor Brandon Johnson recently put the blame for the crisis on his predecessor, Democrat Lori Lightfoot and said right-wing extremists are "going after democratically-ran cities that are led by people of color."
Chicago residents have been speaking out as the city moves forward with plans for a winterized base camp to house migrants in Brighton Park.
Local residents say the city has ignored their concerns of overcrowding and safety, as well as fears that the encampment is being built on contaminated soil.
At least 20,000 migrants have poured into Chicago since August 2022, when many migrants were bused from the southern border states to liberal cities farther north. Efforts have been underway to strip Chicago of its sanctuary city status as some residents sound off about the issue.
In addition to the influx of migrants who lack shelter, an estimated 68,000 Chicago citizens are considered homeless, Fox News Digital reported earlier this month.
FOX 23 reported Chicago is paying nearly $92,000 per month to lease the lot in Brighton Park. That is in addition to a $29 million contract the city signed with GardaWorld in September to build additional migrant camps.
Fox News' Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report.
Elizabeth Heckman is a digital production assistant with Fox News.
