Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said on Monday that arresting more people would not reduce violent crime, calling mass incarceration “racist, immoral and unholy.” Speaking at a city-hall briefing, the Democrat argued that policing alone cannot address the underlying causes of shootings and homicides in the nation’s third-largest city. Johnson’s remarks come as President Donald Trump prepares to send additional federal law-enforcement resources to Chicago in an effort to stem gun violence. Critics of the mayor pointed to Washington, D.C., where a recent surge in arrests has been credited by local officials with cutting violent crime by more than 80% in about two weeks. Johnson countered that Chicago must invest in mental-health services, youth programs and economic development rather than rely on what he called an “addiction to jails.” The comments add to political pressure on the first-term mayor, whose approval rating stands at roughly 14% in an August survey cited by local media. Chicago has recorded about 254 homicides in the first 233 days of 2025 and four mass shootings in the past month, according to figures highlighted by former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich and community advocates. Residents critical of the administration say crime remains a top concern and have urged city leaders to bolster traditional policing in high-violence neighborhoods.