Ex-President Donald Trump on Wednesday called for the detainment of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Governor JB Pritzker, accusing them of failing to protect federal immigration officers.
"Chicago's Mayor should be jailed for failing to secure Immigration agents!" Trump posted on his platform early Wednesday. "The Illinois governor as well!"
The two leaders identify as the Democratic faction.
These remarks coincide with the arrival of National Guard personnel in the Windy City area following directives from the current government, despite strong objections from state officials such as the governor and mayor.
"This represents yet another attempt where Trump has sought to have an African American leader unjustly detained," Johnson responded on Wednesday. "I am staying put."
The governor responded via online channels, declaring: "I refuse to yield. Trump is now demanding arrests of elected officials checking his power. What remains on the path to full-blown authoritarianism?"
By Wednesday morning, National Guard units from Texas had arrived at the Elwood army reserve center, an army base approximately 80 kilometers from Chicago, as the administration advances with its aggressive crime strategy and mass deportation efforts.
The president has called Chicago a "dangerous disaster zone", despite police data indicate significant drops in many offenses, such as murders.
On Wednesday, two hundred Texas National Guard members were scheduled to arrive to the Chicago area, with another 300 Illinois guard forces readying for deployment, per reports. Authorities reportedly stated the soldiers would avoid police functions but would secure ICE officers and government buildings.
Soldiers in combat attire with state guard insignia were spotted at the US army reserve center in the town. Trucks marked "Disaster Relief" dropped off portable toilets and essential items. Mobile units were set up in rows. Extra barriers was installed around the compound.
Aviation authorities ordered flight restrictions over the army reserve center for safety concerns until 6 December.
Federal authorities has escalated immigration enforcement in Chicago in the past month, sparking protests, especially near an immigration center in Broadview.
On Monday, state and city initiated legal action against the federal government, seeking to block the military dispatch, asking a federal judge to stop what they describe as "the president's proclaimed 'War'" on Chicago and Illinois, calling it "unlawful and dangerous".
A court hearing on their case is scheduled for Thursday.
The mayor also issued an directive on Monday prohibiting federal immigration agents and others from using city-owned property as staging areas for deportation efforts.
Pritzker has accused Trump of using military forces as "staged tools" and "chess pieces".
During a press briefing on the previous day, he said that Trump is trying to "justify and make acceptable the deployment 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 willing to activate the Insurrection Act, which permits a commander-in-chief to send regular army in regions that are unable to suppress an uprising or are resisting national authority.
Since starting his new administration, the president has sent or discussed sending military units to at least 10 urban centers, including major metropolitan areas and California cities like Oakland, San Francisco and Los Angeles, arguing that the military presence is necessary to fight violence and defend ICE officers.
Statistics shows that most violent crime nationwide has declined in recent years. In the city, for example, homicides were down 31% to under three hundred through late summer, according to police data.
New survey data released on Wednesday revealed that most Americans oppose the deployment of military forces without an external threat.
