Chicago Alderman Calls for Faster Asylum Court Dates

Says addressing 'asylum manipulators' is key to restoring 'normalcy'

Mar. 27, 2026 at 10:48am

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Chicago Alderman Raymond Lopez said that there need to be court dates for people who have 'manipulated asylum to get here' 'within 90 days,' and dealing with that population is 'the only way we're going to be able to move forward and get back to some semblance of normalcy here in this country.'

Why it matters

The alderman's comments reflect growing concerns among some local officials about the pace of immigration court proceedings and the impact of asylum seekers on communities.

The details

Lopez said many members of the City Council want to 'make our welcoming city better' and take a 'commonsense approach' to immigration, but claimed the Democratic Party has been 'co-opted by individuals who are trying to out-crazy one another.' He called on President Trump to expedite asylum cases within 90 days, arguing this is the only way to 'move forward and get back to some semblance of normalcy.'

  • Alderman Lopez made these comments on March 27, 2026 during an interview on NewsNation's 'Katie Pavlich Tonight.'

The players

Raymond Lopez

A Chicago alderman who is calling for faster asylum court dates.

Joe Biden

The President of the United States.

Kamala Harris

The Vice President of the United States.

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What they’re saying

“There are a number of other members of the City Council who want to try to make things right, who want to work to make our welcoming city better, to make it a more commonsense approach to what we have to deal with when it comes to immigration. But, sadly, we also know that so much of the Democratic Party has been co-opted by individuals who are trying to out-crazy one another, who are more concerned about the partisan winds as opposed to protecting the people who elected us.”

— Raymond Lopez, Chicago Alderman

“no one has called out Joe Biden or Kamala Harris, 15 million people manipulated asylum to get here, and we need to address that and push their court cases up, not nine years from now, but within 90 days, and I've actually asked President Trump in a letter to do exactly that, because that's the only way we're going to be able to move forward and get back to some semblance of normalcy here in this country.”

— Raymond Lopez, Chicago Alderman

What’s next

Alderman Lopez plans to continue pressing the Biden administration and former President Trump to expedite asylum court cases within 90 days.

The takeaway

The alderman's comments reflect growing frustration among some local officials about the pace of immigration court proceedings and the perceived impact of asylum seekers on their communities, raising questions about how to balance compassion for migrants with concerns about public services and security.