• U.S. Representative for Illinois's 4th District
  2018 - Present

• Cook County Commissioner
  2010 - 2018

• Illinois State Senator, 1st District
  1993 - 1998

• Chicago Alderman, 22nd Ward
  1986 - 1993

• Democratic Committeeman, 22nd Ward
  1984-2000

COMMITTEES

• House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

CAUCUSES

• Congressional Caucus to End the Youth Vaping Epidemic 

• Congressional Equality Caucus

• Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC)

• Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC)

• Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus

• Future of Transportation Caucus 

• New Americans Caucus

Jesús “Chuy” García is the Congressman of Illinois’ 4th Congressional District and one of the first Mexican immigrants to be sworn into the US Congress. Since taking office in 2019, Chuy has become a member of the Financial Services Committee, Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and Natural Resources Committee. 

As a progressive community leader and public servant for almost 40 years, Chuy has been recognized for his extensive work fighting for immigration rights, universal health care, criminal justice reform, and workers’ rights. 

Chuy was born in Los Pinos in Durango, Mexico. At 10 years old, Chuy and his family moved to Chicago and settled in the Pilsen neighborhood and later moved to Little Village.

Growing up in Chicago during the 1960’s and 1970’s, Chuy was influenced by the diversity of Chicago’s neighborhoods and contemporary civil rights movements, finding inspiration in leaders such as Reverend Martin Luther King Jr and Cesar Chavez. During this time Chuy joined local organizing movements for workers’ rights and community empowerment.

By the 1980’s, Chuy was deeply involved in the multi-racial and multi-ethnic coalitions that challenged the historic “Chicago Machine” and ultimately contributed to the election of Mayor Harold Washington in 1983. During this era, Chuy co-founded the first Independent Political Organization in Chicago in partnership with labor organizer and political leader Rudy Lozano. 

In 1986, Chuy was elected alderman of the 22nd Ward. His election helped secure a majority for Mayor Washington in the City Council and ended the tensely racial “Council Wars.” In 1992, Chuy was elected to the Illinois Senate and became the first Mexican-American elected to the Illinois Legislature. As State Senator, Chuy passed several bills aimed at expanding immigrants’ access to government services and legal representation.

After serving in the Senate Chuy returned to community organizing and founded the Little Village Community Development Corporation (now known as Enlace Chicago). As Executive Director, Chuy successfully fought for criminal justice reform, pro bono legal representation for immigrants, and more local public schools for communities on the Southwest side of Chicago. At the time of his departure in 2009, the organization had developed from a single employee (Chuy himself) to 27 full time employees, 120 part time workers and an annual budget of $2.9 million.

In 2010, Chuy was elected to the Cook County Board of Commissioners. He was appointed Floor Leader by Board President Toni Preckwinkle and helped enact Cook County’s reform agenda. In this position, Chuy passed a measure that ended the county’s cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This legislation was the first of its kind and initiated a movement that over 250 localities nationwide have adopted.

In 2015, Chuy emerged as a national leader when he challenged Mayor Rahm Emmanuel and became the first candidate in Chicago history to push an incumbent mayor into a runoff election. Chuy received an outpouring of local and national support and helped reawaken the independent progressive movement in Chicago.

Chuy has received many distinctions for his tireless advocacy of social justice. Chuy and his wife, Evelyn, continue to reside in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood where they enjoy the company of their three children and several grandchildren.