Trump Demands Jailing of Chicago Leader and Illinois Governor as Military Forces Deploy in Metropolis
Former President Donald J. Trump on midweek demanded the incarceration of Mayor Brandon Johnson and Governor JB Pritzker, accusing them of not safeguarding federal immigration officers.
"Chicago's Mayor should be jailed for endangering Immigration agents!" Trump posted on social media Wednesday morning. "The Illinois governor as well!"
The two leaders are members of the Democratic faction.
Trump's statements come alongside the deployment of National Guard personnel in the Chicago region under orders from the federal administration, notwithstanding vehement protests from Illinois authorities including the governor and mayor.
"This marks yet another attempt where Trump attempted to have an African American leader unjustly detained," Johnson responded on that day. "I'm not going anywhere."
Pritzker also replied via social platforms, stating: "I refuse to back down. Trump is now demanding arrests of elected officials checking his power. What's next on the path to full-blown autocracy?"
By Wednesday morning, military troops from Texas had reached the Elwood army reserve center, an army base approximately 80 kilometers from the city, as the federal government pushes forward with its aggressive crime strategy and mass deportation efforts.
Trump has labeled Chicago a "dangerous disaster zone", despite police data indicate significant drops in many offenses, such as murders.
On Wednesday, 200 Texas National Guard members were expected to deploy to the region, with an additional three hundred state military personnel readying for deployment, according to reports. Officials indicated the soldiers would avoid law enforcement duties but would protect federal immigration agents and government buildings.
Soldiers in combat attire with state guard patches were spotted at the military facility in Elwood. Vehicles labeled "Emergency Disaster Services" dropped off sanitation facilities and essential items. Mobile units were set up in rows. Extra barriers was installed around the perimeter.
Aviation authorities ordered no-fly zones over the military base for safety concerns until 6 December.
Federal authorities has escalated immigration enforcement in Chicago in recent weeks, sparking protests, especially near an processing facility in a Chicago suburb.
On Monday, state and city initiated legal action against the administration, attempting to halt the military dispatch, asking a federal judge to stop what they call "the president's proclaimed 'War'" on the city and state, labeling it "unlawful and risky".
A court hearing on their case is set for the next day.
The mayor also issued an directive on Monday prohibiting ICE officers and related personnel from using city-owned property as staging areas for deportation efforts.
The governor has accused Trump of using military forces as "staged tools" and "chess pieces".
During a press briefing on Tuesday, he said that Trump is trying to "justify and normalize the deployment of armed soldiers under his personal authority."
The nearly 150-year-old Posse Comitatus Act restricts the military's role in civilian law enforcement. Yet, Trump has said he would be prepared to invoke the emergency powers, which allows a commander-in-chief to dispatch active duty military in states that are failing to put down an uprising or are resisting national authority.
After beginning his second term, the president has sent or mentioned deploying troops to at least 10 urban centers, such as major metropolitan areas and California cities like Oakland, San Francisco and Los Angeles, arguing that the military presence is necessary to fight violence and defend ICE officers.
Statistics shows that serious offenses across the US has decreased in recent years. In the city, for instance, homicides were reduced nearly one-third to under three hundred through August, according to law enforcement reports.
New survey data released on that day revealed that the majority of US citizens oppose the sending of military forces without an foreign danger.