On the same day he is sworn in, Brandon Johnson issues executive orders related to safety, youth employment, migrants and more.
Negocios Now
Brandon Johnson set the tone for what would become his tenure as mayor of Chicago by issuing, on the same day of the inauguration, four executive orders related to creating jobs for youth, helping immigrants, fighting violence and worker protection.
Johnson’s first executive order is aimed towards reducing youth unemployment. After assuming office as the mayor of Chicago, the 46-year-old former professor instructed the Office of Budget and Management to explore resources allocated in the city’s 2023 budget with the aim of securing funding for youth employment and enrichment programs.
A second executive order designates a Deputy Mayor for Immigrant, Migrant and Refugee Rights who will coordinate and communicate among city departments and officials to support immigrants, refugees.
Executive order 2023-17 established a deputy mayor’s office for Community Security which will focus on “eradicating the root causes of crime and violence” and taking a “healing-centered approach to community safety.”
Finally, he created the figure of a Deputy Mayor for Labor Relations, with the aim of allowing “coordination to encourage, promote and develop the well-being of Chicago wage earners, job seekers and retirees.”
Speaking at his inauguration, attended by Governor J.B. Pritzker, lawmakers and public officials, Johnson said he was “really honored to stand before you as the 57th mayor of the world’s greatest city.”
Johnson, who succeeds Mayor Lori Lightfoot, faces a daunting challenge in the face of high rates of gun violence and crime in a city that is prosperous but also the scene of a significant gap between wealthy and disadvantaged neighborhoods.
Chicago also faces financial challenges, including significant debt and budget shortfalls, which have led to cutbacks in services and programs. Improving access to affordable living and disparity between schools are pending tasks in a city that is entering a new era under the administration of another progressive mayor.
