Full Breakdown
Police Called on State Senator Mike Simmons While Canvassing for Congress
2/25/2026, 7:23:25 AM
Incident Overview
On February 20, 2026, State Senator Mike Simmons, a candidate for Illinois' 9th Congressional District, experienced a police call while canvassing in the Buena Park neighborhood of Chicago. Simmons, who is Black and openly gay, was door-knocking with his campaign manager and volunteers when a resident, a white woman, questioned their presence and subsequently called the police after requesting documentation from the group.
Context of the Encounter
Simmons, who has represented parts of Chicago's North Side in the Illinois Senate since 2021, has been vocal about the biases faced by people of color in interactions with law enforcement. He sponsored a 2021 bill that categorizes police calls on individuals based on their racial identity as a hate crime when no active threat is present. This legislation was inspired by incidents where Black individuals were reported to police during routine activities, highlighting systemic issues of racial profiling.
Simmons' Response
In a video of the encounter, Simmons confronted the woman, expressing disappointment over her decision to call the police. He stated, “I’m so disappointed in how you chose to handle the situation at a time when police have been known to get into deadly altercations with people of color.” After leaving the building voluntarily, Simmons spoke with responding officers, emphasizing the potential dangers of such police interactions for Black individuals.
Broader Implications
Simmons characterized the incident as reflective of the systemic biases that his campaign aims to address. He noted, “When someone calls the police on a sitting Black state senator, that lived experience is part of the bevy of experiences that I’ve talked about on this campaign.” His campaign focuses on civil rights, affordability, and the erosion of human rights, aiming to represent the diverse constituents of the 9th District.
Official Statements & Responses
Simmons' campaign released a statement describing the incident as a “disappointing reminder of the biases and barriers that work against Black people in America at every turn.” Fellow congressional candidate Bushra Amiwala expressed solidarity with Simmons, stating she was “disgusted this happened to Senator Simmons,” and highlighted the ongoing issue of over-policing in diverse communities.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
While Simmons reported the incident as an example of racial bias, the Chicago Police Department did not confirm the specifics of the call or any details regarding the resident's motivations. No arrests were made, and the police response has not been publicly detailed.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I’m gonna let you know that it is against the law to call the police on an elected official who’s knocking doors.” — Mike Simmons, State Senator and Congressional Candidate
- “I spoke up on this because I don’t want to be complicit in the status quo that can lead to a Black person being killed and just becoming a statistic.” — Mike Simmons
- “Even in a district as diverse as ours, we are reminded all too frequently that Black and brown communities bear the burden of overpolicing,” — Bushra Amiwala, Congressional Candidate
This incident underscores the complexities of race, policing, and political engagement in contemporary America, particularly as Simmons campaigns to become the first Black representative from the 9th District.
