Former President Donald J. Trump on Wednesday called for the detainment of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Governor JB Pritzker, accusing them of failing to protect ICE agents.
"The city's leader should be jailed for endangering ICE Officers!" Trump wrote on his platform Wednesday morning. "Governor Pritzker as well!"
Both officials identify as the Democratic faction.
Trump's statements coincide with the arrival of state military personnel in the Chicago region following directives from the current government, notwithstanding vehement protests from Illinois authorities such as Pritzker and Johnson.
"This marks not the first instance where Trump has sought to have an African American leader unjustly detained," Johnson responded on Wednesday. "I am staying put."
Pritzker also replied via online channels, stating: "I will not back down. Now Trump is demanding arrests of elected officials resisting his authority. What's next on the road toward full-blown autocracy?"
As of midweek, military troops from the Lone Star State had arrived at the Elwood training facility, a military installation approximately 50 miles from the city, as the federal government advances with its aggressive crime strategy and immigration enforcement operations.
Trump has labeled Chicago a "crime-ridden hellhole", despite official statistics indicate notable reductions in most criminal activities, such as homicides.
That day, two hundred Texas National Guard troops were expected to deploy to the Chicago area, with another 300 Illinois guard personnel preparing to mobilize, per sources. Officials indicated the troops would avoid law enforcement duties but would secure ICE officers and their facilities.
Soldiers in combat attire with Texas national guard insignia were observed at the US army reserve center in Elwood. Vehicles marked "Emergency Disaster Services" dropped off portable toilets and other supplies. Mobile units were arranged in lines. Extra barriers was placed around the perimeter.
The Federal Aviation Administration imposed flight restrictions over the military base for security reasons until 6 December.
Federal authorities has intensified immigration enforcement in Chicago in recent weeks, sparking protests, particularly near an immigration center in Broadview.
Earlier this week, state and city filed a lawsuit targeting the federal government, attempting to halt the National Guard deployment, urging a court to stop what they call "Trump's long-declared 'Battle'" on Chicago and Illinois, labeling it "unlawful and risky".
Legal proceedings on their lawsuit is scheduled for the next day.
The mayor also signed an directive on that day banning ICE officers and others from using city-owned property as staging areas for enforcement actions.
Pritzker has accused the president of using troops as "political props" and "chess pieces".
At a news conference on Tuesday, he said that Trump is attempting to "justify and make acceptable the deployment of military personnel under his direct command."
The historic Posse Comitatus Act restricts the military's role in enforcing domestic laws. Yet, the president has said he would be prepared to invoke the emergency powers, which permits a president to send active duty military in regions that are unable to suppress an insurrection or are resisting federal law.
After beginning his new administration, Trump has sent or discussed deploying troops to over ten urban centers, including major metropolitan areas and California cities like Oakland, San Francisco and Los Angeles, arguing that the military presence is essential to fight violence and protect ICE officers.
Statistics indicates that serious offenses across the US has declined in recent years. In Chicago, for example, homicides were reduced nearly one-third to 278 through late summer, per police data.
New survey data released on that day revealed that the majority of US citizens oppose the sending of troops without an foreign danger.
