In the first hours after being sworn in as Chicago mayor on Monday, Brandon Johnson signed his first set of executive orders, with most of the measures establishing new leadership roles in city government.
The mayor’s office sent out a news release Monday afternoon, in which Johnson said, “As your Mayor, it is my duty to take bold, immediate action to build a better, stronger, a safer Chicago.”
The first of the four orders seeks to boost youth employment by instructing the city’s Office of Budget and Management to analyze the resources in the fiscal year 2023 budget available to fund programs in empoyment and enrichment of the youth. The order also directs the Office of the Mayor to coordinate youth work and development activities with sister city agencies and city departments for summer internships and service opportunities in community, according to the news release.
Johnson also signed three executive orders establishing new deputy mayor positions, the first of which is a deputy mayor for immigrant, migrant and refugee rights. The person taking on the role will be responsible for coordination and communication related to the city’s efforts to support immigrants, refugees and migrants – whether established or new arrivals. Under the order, all city department heads will be instructed to take direction from the deputy mayor “to assist efforts to respond to immediate needs and long-term policy and programmatic goals to to ensure the effectiveness of Chicago’s status as a welcoming and sanctuary city.”
Additional executive orders establish a deputy mayor for community safety, who will focus on “eliminating the causes of crime and violence and advancing a comprehensive, recovery-oriented approach to community safety.” ” and a deputy mayor for labor relations.
That position “will allow the coordination of the development, improvement, and improvement of the welfare of employers, job seekers, and retirees in Chicago, in addition to the improvement of working conditions, the development of new employment opportunities for work, and protection of workers’ rights.”
Days before leaving office, former Mayor Lori Lightfoot signed a volley of executive orders, including those establishing youth commissions and pension advancement funds as well as ensuring the implementing a “We Will Chicago” plan.
