Former President Donald J. Trump on midweek called for the detainment of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, alleging them of failing to protect ICE agents.
"The city's leader belongs behind bars for failing to secure ICE Officers!" Trump posted on social media early Wednesday. "Governor Pritzker as well!"
The two leaders are members of the Democratic party.
Trump's statements coincide with the deployment of state military personnel in the Windy City area following directives from the current government, despite vehement protests from state officials such as the governor and mayor.
"This represents not the first instance where Trump attempted to have a Black man unjustly detained," Mayor Johnson stated on Wednesday. "I'm not going anywhere."
Pritzker also replied via online channels, stating: "I refuse to back down. Trump is now calling for imprisonment of elected officials checking his power. What's next on the path to full-blown authoritarianism?"
By Wednesday morning, National Guard units from Texas had reached the Elwood training facility, an army base roughly 80 kilometers from Chicago, as the federal government advances with its hardline crime strategy and mass deportation efforts.
Trump has labeled Chicago a "dangerous disaster zone", even though official statistics indicate notable reductions in many offenses, including homicides.
That day, two hundred state guard members were expected to deploy to the region, with another 300 Illinois guard personnel preparing to mobilize, according to sources. Officials indicated the soldiers would not perform police functions but would protect federal immigration agents and government buildings.
Soldiers in combat attire with Texas national guard patches were observed at the military facility in the town. Trucks marked "Disaster Relief" delivered sanitation facilities and other supplies. Trailers were arranged in rows. Additional fencing was installed around the compound.
The Federal Aviation Administration imposed flight restrictions over the army reserve center for security reasons until 6 December.
The administration has intensified immigration enforcement in Chicago in recent weeks, triggering demonstrations, particularly near an immigration center in Broadview.
Earlier this week, state and city filed a lawsuit against the administration, attempting to halt the National Guard deployment, urging a court to stop what they describe as "Trump's long-declared 'War'" on the city and state, labeling it "unlawful and dangerous".
Legal proceedings on their lawsuit is set for Thursday.
The mayor also issued an executive order on Monday prohibiting ICE officers and others from using municipal facilities as operation bases for enforcement actions.
The governor has charged Trump of using troops as "staged tools" and "chess pieces".
At a news conference on Tuesday, Pritzker said that the president is trying to "justify and make acceptable the deployment of armed soldiers under his direct command."
The historic Posse Comitatus Act limits the army's involvement in civilian law enforcement. Yet, Trump has said he would be prepared to invoke the Insurrection Act, which allows a commander-in-chief to dispatch regular army in states that are failing to suppress an insurrection or are defying federal law.
Since starting his new administration, Trump has dispatched or discussed sending military units to over ten urban centers, including major metropolitan areas and West Coast locations like Bay Area and Southern California municipalities, claiming that the armed forces is essential to combat crime and defend ICE officers.
Data indicates that most violent crime nationwide has decreased in recent years. In Chicago, for instance, homicides were reduced 31% to 278 through late summer, according to law enforcement reports.
A recent poll released on Wednesday found that most Americans disapprove of the sending of military forces without an foreign danger.
