Ex-President Donald J. Trump on Wednesday called for the detainment of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Governor JB Pritzker, alleging them of failing to protect federal immigration officers.
"Chicago's Mayor belongs behind bars for endangering Immigration agents!" Trump posted on social media Wednesday morning. "The Illinois governor too!"
The two leaders are members of the Democratic party.
Trump's statements come alongside the arrival of National Guard personnel in the Chicago region under orders from the current government, despite vehement protests from state officials such as the governor and mayor.
"This marks yet another attempt where Trump attempted to have a Black man wrongfully arrested," Johnson responded on that day. "I am staying put."
The governor responded via online channels, declaring: "I refuse to back down. Trump is now calling for imprisonment of elected officials checking his power. What remains on the path to complete authoritarianism?"
By Wednesday morning, National Guard units from Texas had arrived at the Elwood training facility, a military installation roughly 80 kilometers from Chicago, as the administration pushes forward with its aggressive crime strategy and immigration enforcement operations.
The president has labeled Chicago a "dangerous hellhole", even though official statistics indicate notable reductions in many offenses, such as homicides.
That day, 200 state guard troops were scheduled to arrive to the Chicago area, with another 300 state military forces readying for deployment, per reports. Authorities reportedly stated the troops would not perform law enforcement duties but would protect federal immigration agents and their facilities.
Military personnel wearing uniforms with state guard patches were observed at the military facility in the town. Trucks labeled "Disaster Relief" dropped off portable toilets and other supplies. Trailers were set up in rows. Additional fencing was installed around the compound.
Aviation authorities imposed no-fly zones over the army reserve center for safety concerns until 6 December.
The administration has intensified immigration enforcement in Chicago in the past month, sparking protests, particularly near an immigration center in Broadview.
On Monday, Illinois and Chicago filed a lawsuit against the administration, seeking to block the National Guard deployment, asking a court to stop what they describe as "the president's proclaimed 'War'" on the city and state, labeling it "illegal and dangerous".
Legal proceedings on their case is scheduled for the next day.
Mayor Johnson also issued an directive on that day prohibiting ICE officers and related personnel from using city-owned property as operation bases for deportation efforts.
Pritzker has charged Trump of using military forces as "staged tools" and "chess pieces".
During a press briefing on Tuesday, Pritzker said that Trump is attempting to "justify and make acceptable the presence of armed soldiers under his personal authority."
The nearly 150-year-old Posse Comitatus Act limits the military's role in enforcing domestic laws. Yet, the president has stated he would be prepared to activate the Insurrection Act, which allows a president to send active duty military in states that are unable to suppress an uprising or are defying federal law.
After beginning his second term, Trump has sent or discussed sending troops to at least 10 cities, including major metropolitan areas and California cities like Oakland, San Francisco and Los Angeles, arguing that the military presence is necessary to fight violence and protect immigration agents.
Statistics shows that most violent crime across the US has declined in recent years. In Chicago, for example, murders were down 31% to under three hundred through late summer, per law enforcement reports.
A recent poll published on that day revealed that the majority of US citizens oppose the deployment of military forces without an external threat.
