U.S. President Donald Trump has designated Chicago as the next target for a 'crime sweep' following Washington, D.C., suggesting the deployment of the national guard. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker immediately protested, calling it an 'illegitimate abuse of power,' forecasting a direct confrontation between the federal and state governments.
◇Trump "Chicago is a mess"…Governor "authoritarian power grab"
On the 22nd (local time), President Trump stated that the ongoing security enhancement operation in Washington, D.C., is successful and plans to extend it to other cities. He said, "Chicago is a mess. There is a very incompetent mayor there," adding, "Perhaps that will be the next place." He further claimed, "Chicago residents, especially beautiful African American women, are shouting, 'Please come.'"
Mayor Johnson and Governor Pritzker immediately opposed it. Mayor Johnson dismissed Trump's claims, saying, "There are many things the federal government can do to reduce violence in Chicago, but sending in the military is not one of them." He rebutted that, contrary to Trump's assertions, homicides in Chicago have decreased by 30% and shootings by about 40% over the past year.
Governor Pritzker criticized it on social media as an 'authoritarian power grab over large cities.' He pointed out that 'President Trump is instilling fear in the community and destabilizing existing public safety efforts.'
◇Deployment of troops without governor's consent? Legal controversy
The crux of this controversy is whether the president has the legal authority to deploy the national guard without the governor's consent. Legal experts in the U.S. believe that the president does not have the unilateral authority to send the national guard. While Washington, D.C., being a federal district, allows the president to have direct command, in normal states like Illinois, the governor acts as the commander of the national guard.
Governor Pritzker also made it clear to President Trump that he does not have the authority to take control of Chicago. However, the president can send additional federal agency personnel such as those from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) or the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) without the state's consent.
◇Using troops in 19 states to support immigration enforcement
The Trump administration plans to mobilize the national guard to support illegal immigration enforcement in 19 states, separate from the security enhancement operation in Washington, D.C. According to Fox News, up to 1,700 national guard members will be mobilized in states such as Alabama, Florida, and Texas to assist the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) under the Department of Homeland Security.
Their mission will be limited to administrative support, not law enforcement. They will play a supporting role in collecting information about illegal immigrants, taking fingerprints, and handling paperwork. The White House also clarified, 'This plan is separate from the crime sweep operation in Washington, D.C., and is a pre-planned support mission for the Department of Homeland Security.'