Chicago voters selected “Abolish ICE” as the winning name in the city’s annual snowplow-naming contest, turning a municipal tradition into a political statement about the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement. The name carries a double meaning: both a reference to removing snow and a protest slogan against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The victory reflects the political intensity surrounding Trump’s immigration enforcement operations that began in Chicago last September, resulting in thousands of arrests and sparking sustained protests throughout the city and suburbs.
Chicago voters saw an opportunity to register their frustration with federal immigration enforcement during a tradition of civic humor. The city’s annual snowplow-naming contest, held for the fourth time this year, drew 13,300 submissions and 39,000 final votes. When the results were tallied, “Abolish ICE” — a reference to removing both snow and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement — emerged as the runaway victor.
Immigration Enforcement Backdrop
The naming coincided with sustained anger in Chicago over the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. Beginning in September, Operation Midway Blitz brought a surge of ICE officers into the city and suburbs, resulting in more than 4,000 arrests and a fatal shooting. The enforcement campaign prompted repeated “ICE Out” protests downtown, near ICE facilities, and throughout the surrounding region, particularly in neighborhoods with large immigrant populations.
A city spokesperson said officials anticipated the political dimension of the voting. “The people of Chicago clearly have no issue with the name of this snowplow,” the spokesperson said, noting that “Abolish ICE” was a “runaway winner.”
Chicago’s Trademark Wit
Chicago’s characteristic humor and cultural references shone through in the other winning plow names. These included “Stephen Coldbert,” a play on late-night host Stephen Colbert’s surname; “Pope Frio XIV,” combining the Spanish word for cold with the name of Pope Leo, who was born in Chicago; “Blizzard of Oz,” evoking the famous storm; “Svencoolie,” a reference to Chicago television horror host Svengoolie; and “Caleb Chilliams,” which plays on the surname of Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, whose team reached the playoffs for the first time in 15 years.
Other cities run similar naming contests, but few carry Chicago’s political weight. Nashville’s snowplow-naming effort produced “Dolly Plowton,” honoring country music legend Dolly Parton. Minnesota’s entry, “Taylor Drift,” references pop superstar Taylor Swift. Chicago’s municipal humor, by contrast, became a vehicle for civic expression on an urgent national issue.
How the Voting Process Works
Mayor Brandon Johnson released a statement thanking voters “for their unmatched creativity, sense of humor, and civic pride.” He noted that his Department of Streets and Sanitation, which maintains 300 trucks to clear 9,400 miles of streets in the city, was “grateful and inspired by the record-breaking participation in the contest this year.”
The voting followed a familiar process. Submissions are made to the Chicago Shovels website, and a survey app is used for both initial and final voting phases. City staff members review all submissions and select finalists, which are then forwarded to the mayor’s office for final approval.
The Associated Press sent requests for comment to ICE and its parent agency, the Department of Homeland Security, but received no response at the time of publication.