Trump Demands Jailing of Chicago Leader and State Executive as National Guard Arrive in Metropolis

Ex-President Donald Trump on Wednesday demanded the incarceration of Mayor Brandon Johnson and Governor JB Pritzker, alleging them of failing to protect federal immigration officers.

"Chicago's Mayor should be jailed for endangering ICE Officers!" Trump posted on his platform early Wednesday. "Governor Pritzker as well!"

Both officials identify as the Democratic faction.

Trump's statements coincide with the deployment of state military troops in the Chicago region following directives from the current government, notwithstanding strong objections from state officials including the governor and mayor.

"This marks yet another attempt where Trump attempted to have an African American leader unjustly detained," Johnson responded on Wednesday. "I'm not going put."

The governor responded via online channels, declaring: "I will not yield. Trump is now calling for imprisonment of elected officials checking his power. What remains on the road toward full-blown authoritarianism?"

As of midweek, National Guard units from the Lone Star State had arrived at the Elwood army reserve center, an army base roughly 80 kilometers from the city, as the administration pushes forward with its hardline urban crime policy and immigration enforcement operations.

The president has called Chicago a "dangerous disaster zone", even though official statistics indicate significant drops in many offenses, including homicides.

On Wednesday, 200 state guard members were expected to deploy to the Chicago area, with another 300 state military forces preparing to mobilize, per sources. Authorities reportedly stated the troops would not perform police functions but would protect ICE officers and government buildings.

Soldiers in combat attire with state guard patches were observed at the military facility in Elwood. Vehicles labeled "Emergency Disaster Services" delivered portable toilets and essential items. Mobile units were set up in rows. Additional fencing was placed around the perimeter.

Aviation authorities imposed flight restrictions over the army reserve center for security reasons until early December.

Federal authorities has escalated deportation operations in the city in recent weeks, sparking demonstrations, especially near an immigration center in Broadview.

Earlier this week, Illinois and Chicago initiated legal action against the federal government, seeking to block the National Guard deployment, urging a federal judge to stop what they describe as "Trump's long-declared 'War'" on the city and state, calling it "illegal and dangerous".

Legal proceedings on their case is scheduled for Thursday.

The mayor also issued an directive on Monday prohibiting federal immigration agents and related personnel from using city-owned property as operation bases for deportation efforts.

Pritzker has accused Trump of using troops as "staged tools" and "pawns".

During a press briefing on the previous day, Pritzker said that Trump is trying to "rationalize and normalize the presence of armed soldiers under his personal authority."

The historic Posse Comitatus Act limits the army's involvement in enforcing domestic laws. Yet, the president has stated he would be prepared to activate the emergency powers, which allows a president to dispatch active duty military in regions that are unable to suppress an uprising or are defying national authority.

Since starting his second term, the president has dispatched or mentioned sending troops to over ten urban centers, including Baltimore; Washington DC; New Orleans and West Coast locations like Oakland, San Francisco and Los Angeles, claiming that the military presence is essential to combat crime and defend immigration agents.

Statistics shows that most violent crime across the US has declined in the past few years. In Chicago, for instance, murders were down nearly one-third to under three hundred through August, according to police data.

A recent poll released on Wednesday revealed that the majority of US citizens oppose the sending of military forces without an foreign danger.

Jeff Conley
Jeff Conley

Elara Vance is an investigative journalist with over a decade of experience covering international politics and human rights issues across Europe.