Ex-President Donald J. Trump on Wednesday demanded the incarceration of Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, alleging them of not safeguarding federal immigration officers.
"The city's leader should be jailed for failing to secure Immigration agents!" Trump posted on his platform early Wednesday. "The Illinois governor as well!"
Both officials are members of the Democratic party.
Trump's statements come alongside the deployment of National Guard personnel in the Chicago region following directives from the current government, despite strong objections from Illinois authorities including the governor and mayor.
"This marks not the first instance where Trump has sought to have an African American leader wrongfully arrested," Johnson responded on Wednesday. "I'm not going anywhere."
The governor responded via online channels, stating: "I refuse to yield. Now Trump is demanding arrests of democratically chosen representatives resisting his authority. What's next on the road toward full-blown autocracy?"
By Wednesday morning, military troops from Texas had arrived at the Elwood training facility, a military installation roughly 80 kilometers from the city, as the administration pushes forward with its aggressive crime strategy and immigration enforcement operations.
The president has labeled Chicago a "crime-ridden disaster zone", even though police data indicate significant drops in most criminal activities, including homicides.
That day, 200 Texas National Guard members were expected to deploy to the Chicago area, with another 300 state military forces preparing to mobilize, according to reports. Officials reportedly stated the troops would avoid law enforcement duties but would secure federal immigration agents and government buildings.
Soldiers in combat attire with state guard patches were observed at the military facility in Elwood. Vehicles marked "Emergency Disaster Services" delivered portable toilets and other supplies. Trailers were arranged in rows. Additional fencing was installed around the compound.
The Federal Aviation Administration ordered flight restrictions over the military base for security reasons until early December.
Federal authorities has intensified deportation operations in the city in recent weeks, sparking demonstrations, particularly near an immigration center in a Chicago suburb.
On Monday, Illinois and Chicago filed a lawsuit targeting the administration, attempting to halt the military dispatch, urging a federal judge to stop what they describe as "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 executive order on Monday banning ICE officers and related personnel from using city-owned property as operation bases for deportation efforts.
Pritzker has accused Trump of using troops as "political props" and "chess pieces".
During a press briefing on the previous day, Pritzker said that Trump is attempting to "rationalize and normalize the presence of armed soldiers under his direct command."
The historic federal law restricts the military's role in enforcing domestic laws. Yet, the president has said he would be prepared to activate the emergency powers, which permits a commander-in-chief to dispatch 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 sent or discussed sending troops to at least 10 urban centers, such as major metropolitan areas and West Coast locations like Oakland, San Francisco and Los Angeles, claiming that the military presence is essential to combat crime and protect immigration agents.
Data shows that serious offenses across the US has decreased in recent years. In Chicago, for instance, homicides were down 31% to 278 through late summer, according to police data.
New survey data published on Wednesday found that the majority of US citizens disapprove of the sending of military forces without an external threat.
