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.
"Chicago's Mayor should be jailed for endangering ICE Officers!" Trump posted on his platform Wednesday morning. "Governor Pritzker too!"
Both officials are members of the Democratic faction.
Trump's statements coincide with the deployment of National Guard personnel in the Windy City area following directives from the federal administration, notwithstanding vehement protests from state officials such as Pritzker and Johnson.
"This marks not the first instance where Trump has sought to have an African American leader wrongfully arrested," Mayor Johnson stated on that day. "I'm not going put."
Pritzker also replied via social platforms, declaring: "I refuse to back down. Trump is now calling for imprisonment of democratically chosen representatives resisting his authority. What remains on the path to complete autocracy?"
As of midweek, National Guard troops from Texas had reached the Elwood army reserve center, a military installation approximately 80 kilometers from Chicago, as the administration advances with its hardline crime strategy and mass deportation efforts.
The president has labeled Chicago a "crime-ridden disaster zone", even though police data indicate notable reductions in many offenses, including homicides.
On Wednesday, two hundred state guard members were scheduled to arrive to the Chicago area, with another 300 Illinois guard forces readying for deployment, per reports. Officials reportedly stated the soldiers would avoid law enforcement duties but would protect ICE officers and government buildings.
Soldiers in combat attire with state guard insignia were observed at the US army reserve center in the town. Vehicles marked "Emergency Disaster Services" dropped off sanitation facilities and other supplies. Trailers were arranged in lines. Additional fencing was installed around the perimeter.
Aviation authorities imposed flight restrictions over the military base for safety concerns until early December.
Federal authorities has escalated immigration enforcement in Chicago in recent weeks, triggering protests, particularly near an processing facility in Broadview.
Earlier this week, state and city filed a lawsuit against the federal government, attempting to halt the National Guard deployment, asking a court to stop what they call "the president's proclaimed 'Battle'" on the city and state, labeling it "illegal and risky".
Legal proceedings on their case is set for Thursday.
Mayor Johnson also issued an directive on Monday prohibiting federal immigration agents and others from using municipal facilities as operation bases for deportation efforts.
The governor has charged Trump of using troops as "staged tools" and "pawns".
During a press briefing on the previous day, Pritzker said that the president is attempting to "rationalize 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, Trump has stated he would be prepared to invoke the emergency powers, which allows a president to send active duty military in regions that are unable to put down an uprising or are resisting national authority.
Since starting his second term, the president has dispatched or mentioned deploying troops to at least 10 cities, including major metropolitan areas and California cities like Oakland, San Francisco and Los Angeles, claiming that the military presence is essential to fight violence and defend ICE officers.
Data shows that serious offenses nationwide has declined in recent years. In Chicago, for instance, homicides were down nearly one-third to 278 through late summer, per law enforcement reports.
A recent poll published on Wednesday found that the majority of US citizens oppose the sending of military forces without an foreign danger.
