Ex-President Donald Trump on midweek called for the detainment of Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, alleging them of not safeguarding ICE agents.
"The city's leader should be jailed for failing to secure ICE Officers!" Trump posted on his platform early Wednesday. "Governor Pritzker as well!"
Both officials identify as the Democratic faction.
These remarks coincide with the deployment of state military troops in the Windy City area under orders from the federal administration, despite strong objections from Illinois authorities such as the governor and mayor.
"This represents yet another attempt where Trump attempted to have a Black man wrongfully arrested," Johnson responded on that day. "I am staying put."
Pritzker also replied via online channels, stating: "I refuse to back down. Trump is now demanding arrests of democratically chosen representatives resisting his authority. What's next on the path to full-blown autocracy?"
As of midweek, military troops from Texas had arrived at the Elwood army reserve center, a military installation approximately 80 kilometers from the city, as the federal government advances with its hardline urban crime policy and immigration enforcement operations.
Trump has called Chicago a "dangerous hellhole", despite official statistics indicate notable reductions in many offenses, such as murders.
That day, two hundred Texas National Guard troops were scheduled to arrive to the region, with an additional three hundred state military forces preparing to mobilize, according to reports. Officials reportedly stated the soldiers would not perform police functions but would protect ICE officers and their facilities.
Soldiers in combat attire with Texas national guard insignia were observed at the military facility in Elwood. Vehicles labeled "Disaster Relief" delivered portable toilets and other supplies. Mobile units were arranged in rows. Extra barriers was placed around the perimeter.
The Federal Aviation Administration ordered no-fly zones over the military base for safety concerns until 6 December.
The administration has escalated deportation operations in Chicago in recent weeks, sparking demonstrations, particularly near an processing facility in Broadview.
Earlier this week, state and city filed a lawsuit against the administration, seeking to block the National Guard deployment, asking a court to stop what they call "Trump's long-declared 'Battle'" on the city and state, calling it "unlawful and risky".
A court hearing on their lawsuit is set for the next day.
Mayor Johnson also signed an directive on Monday banning ICE officers and others from using municipal facilities as operation bases for deportation efforts.
The governor has accused Trump of using military forces as "staged tools" and "chess pieces".
During a press briefing on Tuesday, Pritzker said that the president is trying to "rationalize and normalize the presence of military personnel under his direct command."
The nearly 150-year-old Posse Comitatus Act limits the military's role in enforcing domestic laws. Yet, Trump has stated he would be prepared to invoke the emergency powers, which permits a commander-in-chief to dispatch active duty military in states that are failing to suppress an insurrection or are defying federal law.
After beginning his second term, the president has dispatched or discussed deploying military units to over ten cities, such as major metropolitan areas and West Coast locations like Oakland, San Francisco and Los Angeles, arguing that the armed forces is necessary to combat crime and defend ICE officers.
Statistics shows that serious offenses nationwide has decreased in recent years. In the city, for example, homicides were reduced nearly one-third to 278 through late summer, according to law enforcement reports.
A recent poll released on Wednesday revealed that most Americans disapprove of the deployment of military forces without an external threat.
