Former President Donald Trump on Wednesday demanded the incarceration of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, alleging them of not safeguarding ICE agents.
"Chicago's Mayor belongs behind bars for failing to secure Immigration agents!" Trump wrote on social media Wednesday morning. "The Illinois governor as well!"
The two leaders identify as the Democratic faction.
Trump's statements come alongside the arrival of state military personnel in the Chicago region under orders from the current government, despite strong objections from state officials such as Pritzker and Johnson.
"This represents not the first instance where Trump has sought to have an African American leader unjustly detained," Johnson responded on that day. "I'm not going put."
Pritzker also replied via social platforms, stating: "I will not yield. Trump is now calling for imprisonment of democratically chosen representatives resisting his authority. What's next on the road toward full-blown authoritarianism?"
By Wednesday morning, National Guard troops from the Lone Star State had arrived at the Elwood army reserve center, an army base roughly 80 kilometers from Chicago, as the administration advances with its aggressive urban crime policy and immigration enforcement operations.
Trump has called Chicago a "dangerous disaster zone", even though official statistics indicate notable reductions in many offenses, including murders.
On Wednesday, two hundred Texas National Guard members were expected to deploy to the Chicago area, with an additional three hundred state military personnel readying for deployment, per reports. Authorities reportedly stated the troops would not perform police functions but would secure ICE officers and their facilities.
Military personnel in combat attire with state guard patches were observed at the military facility in Elwood. Vehicles labeled "Disaster Relief" dropped off portable toilets and essential items. Mobile units were arranged in lines. Additional fencing was placed around the perimeter.
Aviation authorities imposed flight restrictions over the military base for safety concerns until 6 December.
Federal authorities has intensified immigration enforcement in Chicago in the past month, sparking protests, particularly near an processing facility in a Chicago suburb.
On Monday, state and city filed a lawsuit against the administration, attempting to halt the National Guard deployment, asking a court to stop what they describe as "the president's proclaimed 'Battle'" on the city and state, calling it "unlawful and risky".
A court hearing on their case is scheduled for the next day.
Mayor Johnson also signed an directive on that day banning federal immigration agents and others from using city-owned property as staging areas for deportation efforts.
The governor has accused Trump of using troops as "political props" and "pawns".
During a press briefing on the previous day, Pritzker said that the president is attempting to "justify and make acceptable the presence of military personnel under his direct command."
The nearly 150-year-old Posse Comitatus Act limits the military's role in civilian law enforcement. Yet, the president has stated he would be prepared to activate the Insurrection Act, which permits a commander-in-chief to dispatch regular army in states that are unable to put down an insurrection or are resisting federal law.
Since starting his second term, Trump has sent or mentioned deploying troops to over ten urban centers, such as major metropolitan areas and California cities like Bay Area and Southern California municipalities, claiming that the armed forces is necessary to fight violence and protect ICE officers.
Statistics indicates that serious offenses nationwide has decreased in recent years. In the city, for instance, homicides were down 31% to 278 through late summer, per police data.
A recent poll released on that day found that the majority of US citizens oppose the deployment of troops without an foreign danger.
