Trump Demands Jailing of Chicago Mayor and State Executive as National Guard Arrive in Metropolis
Ex-President Donald J. Trump on Wednesday called for the incarceration of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, alleging them of failing to protect ICE agents.
"The city's leader should be jailed for endangering Immigration agents!" Trump posted on his platform early Wednesday. "Governor Pritzker as well!"
Both officials identify as the Democratic faction.
These remarks come alongside the arrival of National Guard troops in the Windy City area under orders from the current government, notwithstanding strong objections from state officials such as the governor and mayor.
"This represents not the first instance where Trump attempted to have an African American leader wrongfully arrested," Johnson responded on Wednesday. "I'm not going anywhere."
Pritzker also replied via online channels, stating: "I refuse to yield. Now Trump is demanding arrests of democratically chosen representatives checking his power. What remains on the path to complete autocracy?"
As of midweek, National Guard units from Texas had reached the Elwood training facility, an army base roughly 50 miles from the city, as the federal government pushes forward with its aggressive crime strategy and mass deportation efforts.
The president has labeled Chicago a "crime-ridden hellhole", despite police data indicate significant drops in many offenses, including murders.
On Wednesday, two hundred Texas National Guard troops were expected to deploy to the Chicago area, with an additional three hundred state military forces readying for deployment, according to reports. Authorities indicated the troops would avoid law enforcement duties but would protect ICE officers and government buildings.
Soldiers wearing uniforms with state guard patches were observed at the military facility in the town. Vehicles marked "Emergency Disaster Services" dropped off sanitation facilities and essential items. Trailers were arranged in rows. Additional fencing was installed around the perimeter.
The Federal Aviation Administration imposed flight restrictions over the army reserve center for safety concerns until early December.
Federal authorities has intensified deportation operations in Chicago in the past month, sparking demonstrations, particularly near an processing facility in Broadview.
Earlier this week, Illinois and Chicago filed a lawsuit against the federal government, seeking to block the National Guard deployment, urging a court to stop what they describe as "the president's proclaimed 'Battle'" on Chicago and Illinois, labeling it "unlawful and dangerous".
A court hearing on their lawsuit is set for Thursday.
The mayor also signed an executive order on that day prohibiting ICE officers and others from using city-owned property as staging areas for enforcement actions.
The governor has accused Trump of using troops as "political props" and "pawns".
During a press briefing on Tuesday, Pritzker said that Trump is attempting to "justify and normalize the deployment of military personnel under his direct command."
The nearly 150-year-old Posse Comitatus Act limits the military's role in civilian law enforcement. However, the president has stated he would be prepared to activate the Insurrection Act, which permits a commander-in-chief to send active duty military in regions that are failing to suppress an insurrection or are defying national authority.
Since starting his new administration, the president has dispatched or discussed deploying military units to at least 10 cities, including major metropolitan areas and West Coast locations like Oakland, San Francisco and Los Angeles, claiming that the military presence is essential to combat crime and defend ICE officers.
Statistics indicates that serious offenses nationwide has declined in recent years. In Chicago, for instance, murders were down 31% to 278 through late summer, per police data.
A recent poll released on Wednesday revealed that most Americans oppose the sending of troops without an external threat.