Former President Donald Trump on Wednesday demanded the detainment of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, alleging them of failing to protect federal immigration officers.
"The city's leader should be jailed for endangering ICE Officers!" Trump wrote on his platform Wednesday morning. "The Illinois governor too!"
Both officials are members of the Democratic party.
These remarks coincide with the arrival of National Guard personnel in the Windy City area under orders from the federal administration, despite strong objections from state officials such as Pritzker and Johnson.
"This marks not the first instance where Trump has sought to have an African American leader unjustly detained," Mayor Johnson stated on Wednesday. "I am staying put."
Pritzker also replied via online channels, stating: "I will not back down. Now Trump is calling for imprisonment of elected officials resisting his authority. What remains on the road toward full-blown authoritarianism?"
As of midweek, military units from the Lone Star State had reached the Elwood army reserve center, an army base approximately 80 kilometers from Chicago, as the administration advances with its aggressive crime strategy and mass deportation efforts.
The president has called Chicago a "dangerous hellhole", even though official statistics indicate notable reductions in many offenses, including murders.
That day, two hundred state guard troops were expected to deploy to the Chicago area, with another 300 Illinois guard personnel readying for deployment, according to reports. Authorities indicated the troops would not perform police functions but would secure federal immigration agents and government buildings.
Soldiers in combat attire with Texas national guard insignia were observed at the US army reserve center in the town. Vehicles marked "Disaster Relief" delivered portable toilets and essential items. Mobile units were arranged in rows. Extra barriers was installed around the perimeter.
Aviation authorities imposed flight restrictions over the army reserve center for safety concerns until 6 December.
Federal authorities has intensified deportation operations in Chicago in the past month, triggering protests, especially near an processing facility in Broadview.
On Monday, state and city filed a lawsuit targeting the administration, attempting to halt the National Guard deployment, asking a court to stop what they call "Trump's long-declared 'Battle'" on the city and state, labeling it "illegal and dangerous".
A court hearing on their lawsuit is scheduled for the next day.
Mayor Johnson also issued an executive order on that day prohibiting ICE officers and others from using municipal facilities as staging areas for enforcement actions.
Pritzker has accused Trump of using military forces as "staged tools" and "pawns".
At a news conference on the previous day, Pritzker said that the president is trying to "justify and normalize the presence of military personnel under his direct command."
The historic Posse Comitatus Act limits the military's role in civilian law enforcement. Yet, the president has stated he would be prepared to invoke the Insurrection Act, which allows a commander-in-chief to dispatch regular army in states that are unable to put down an uprising or are defying federal law.
Since starting his second term, Trump has sent or mentioned sending military units to at least 10 urban centers, including Baltimore; Washington DC; New Orleans and California cities like Oakland, San Francisco and Los Angeles, arguing that the armed forces is essential to combat crime and defend ICE officers.
Data shows that serious offenses nationwide has declined in the past few years. In Chicago, for example, homicides were reduced nearly one-third to 278 through late summer, per police data.
A recent poll published on Wednesday found that the majority of US citizens oppose the deployment of military forces without an external threat.
