Chicago mayor didn't suggest migrants rob Americans; claim is satire | Fact check

The claim: Chicago mayor said migrants should rob Americans if they run out of debit card funds

A March 27 Facebook post (direct link, archive link) shows a picture of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson in front of the Chicago River.

"Chicago Mayor Tells Migrants If They Run Out of Debit Card Funds, They Can Just Rob Americans," reads the text above the picture.

Many users viewed the post as authentic, voicing their anger in the comments.

"Now that’s a great statement for the mayor of Chicago to make to illegals in this country to do to Americans, he should be held accountable for his statement," reads one comment, which received more than 100 likes in a day.

The post itself accumulated more than 900 shares in a day. Similar versions of the claim were shared on Facebook.

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Our rating: Satire

The claim originated from a satirical website. There are no credible reports of Johnson saying such a thing.

Mayor's supposed migrant statement is satire

Though the account that shared the post, The Daily Wasp, doesn't mention the fabricated nature of the claim in its post, it includes a satire disclaimer in the intro section of its Facebook page.

"Stinging satire," reads the disclaimer. "Biting humor. Liberals beware. Trump would love this page."

The page also classifies itself as "satire/parody."

The account shared a link to a Daily Wasp article with a headline matching the claim in a comment beneath the post. An identical satire disclaimer is written at the top of the website.

Fact check: False claim migrants in the US illegally need passports for air or land travel

The Chicago government spent nearly $300 million on the city's migrant crisis since August 2022, including $215 million since Johnson took office in May 2023, according to a cost dashboard for the "New Arrivals Project" published on the city's website.

The Daily Wasp confirmed to USA TODAY that the post is satire.

Lead Stories also debunked the claim.

Our fact-check sources:

• The Daily Wasp, March 29, Facebook message exchange with USA TODAY

• The Daily Wasp, accessed March 29, Facebook page

• The Daily Wasp, March 27, Chicago Mayor Tells Migrants If They Run Out of Debit Card Funds, They Can Just Rob Americans

• City of Chicago, March 8, Cost Dashboard

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Chicago mayor didn't say migrants should rob Americans | Fact check