Ex-President Donald J. Trump on midweek demanded the detainment of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Governor JB Pritzker, alleging them of not safeguarding federal immigration officers.
"Chicago's Mayor belongs behind bars for failing to secure ICE Officers!" Trump wrote on social media Wednesday morning. "The Illinois governor too!"
Both officials identify as the Democratic faction.
These remarks coincide with the deployment of National Guard personnel in the Windy City area under orders from the federal administration, despite vehement protests from Illinois authorities including Pritzker and Johnson.
"This marks yet another attempt where Trump attempted to have an African American leader wrongfully arrested," Mayor Johnson stated on that day. "I'm not going anywhere."
The governor responded via social platforms, stating: "I will not yield. Trump is now demanding arrests of democratically chosen representatives resisting his authority. What remains on the path to full-blown autocracy?"
By Wednesday morning, National Guard troops from Texas had reached the Elwood army reserve center, an army base roughly 50 miles from Chicago, as the federal government pushes forward with its hardline crime strategy and mass deportation efforts.
Trump has called Chicago a "dangerous disaster zone", even though police data indicate significant drops in most criminal activities, including homicides.
On Wednesday, two hundred state guard members were expected to deploy to the Chicago area, with another 300 Illinois guard forces preparing to mobilize, according to sources. Officials indicated the soldiers would avoid law enforcement duties but would secure ICE officers and government buildings.
Soldiers in combat attire with Texas national guard insignia were spotted at the military facility in the town. Trucks marked "Emergency Disaster Services" dropped off portable toilets and other supplies. Trailers were set up in lines. Additional fencing was placed around the perimeter.
The Federal Aviation Administration imposed flight restrictions over the army reserve center for safety concerns until early December.
Federal authorities has escalated deportation operations in the city in the past month, sparking protests, especially 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 'War'" on Chicago and Illinois, labeling it "illegal and dangerous".
A court hearing on their lawsuit is set for Thursday.
The mayor also signed an directive on Monday banning ICE officers and related personnel from using city-owned property as operation bases for deportation efforts.
The governor has accused the president of using troops as "political props" and "chess pieces".
At a news conference on Tuesday, Pritzker said that Trump is attempting to "justify and normalize the presence of armed soldiers under his direct command."
The historic federal law limits the military's role in enforcing domestic laws. Yet, Trump has said he would be willing to invoke the emergency powers, which allows a commander-in-chief to send regular army in states that are unable to suppress an insurrection or are resisting national authority.
After beginning his new administration, Trump has sent or discussed sending troops to at least 10 urban centers, including major metropolitan areas and West Coast locations like Oakland, San Francisco and Los Angeles, claiming that the military presence is essential to fight violence and protect ICE officers.
Data indicates that serious offenses across the US has declined in recent years. In Chicago, for instance, homicides were down 31% to under three hundred through late summer, according to police data.
A recent poll released on that day revealed that most Americans oppose the deployment of troops without an foreign danger.
