Former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has publicly criticized the Democratic Party's approach to cultural issues, stating the party has "lost the plot" and become "unanchored" from middle-class values.

Emanuel argued that the Democratic Party shifted from a position of acceptance to one of advocacy on what he characterized as divisive cultural issues. The former mayor, who served Chicago from 2011 to 2019, suggested this change has distanced the party from mainstream voters.

Meanwhile, current Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has faced criticism over his handling of sanctuary city policies following recent incidents. Johnson has refused to apologize to the parents of Sheridan Gorman, who died in an incident involving an individual in the country illegally.

The mayor has doubled down on Chicago's sanctuary city policies despite mounting criticism from some residents and political opponents. Johnson previously referred to an incident as an "assault" in comments that drew backlash from Gorman's family.

These developments highlight ongoing tensions within Democratic politics over immigration policy and cultural messaging as the party evaluates its positioning on various issues.