Former President Donald J. Trump on midweek called for the detainment of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Governor JB Pritzker, alleging them of failing to protect ICE agents.
"The city's leader should be jailed for failing to secure ICE Officers!" Trump wrote on social media early Wednesday. "The Illinois governor as well!"
Both officials identify as the Democratic faction.
Trump's statements come alongside the deployment of state military personnel in the Chicago region following directives from the federal administration, notwithstanding vehement protests from Illinois authorities such as the governor and mayor.
"This marks yet another attempt where Trump has sought to have an African American leader wrongfully arrested," Johnson responded on that day. "I'm not going 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, military troops from Texas had arrived at the Elwood army reserve center, a military installation approximately 50 miles from the city, as the federal government advances with its hardline crime strategy and mass deportation efforts.
The president has labeled Chicago a "dangerous disaster zone", even though official statistics indicate significant drops in most criminal activities, including murders.
That day, two hundred state guard troops were scheduled to arrive to the region, with an additional three hundred state military forces readying for deployment, per reports. Authorities indicated the troops would not perform police functions but would secure federal immigration agents and government buildings.
Soldiers wearing uniforms with state guard patches were spotted at the military facility in the town. Trucks labeled "Disaster Relief" dropped off portable toilets and essential items. Trailers were set up in rows. Extra barriers was installed around the perimeter.
The Federal Aviation Administration ordered no-fly zones over the military base for safety concerns until early December.
Federal authorities has intensified immigration enforcement in the city in recent weeks, sparking demonstrations, particularly near an processing facility in Broadview.
Earlier this week, state and city initiated legal action targeting the administration, attempting to halt the National Guard deployment, asking a court to stop what they describe as "Trump's long-declared 'Battle'" on Chicago and Illinois, calling it "unlawful and dangerous".
Legal proceedings on their case is set for the next day.
The mayor also signed an directive on Monday prohibiting ICE officers and others from using municipal facilities as staging areas for deportation efforts.
Pritzker has charged the president of using troops as "staged tools" and "pawns".
During a press briefing on Tuesday, he said that the president is trying to "rationalize and normalize the deployment of military personnel under his direct command."
The historic Posse Comitatus Act limits the army's involvement in civilian law enforcement. However, the president has stated he would be prepared to activate the Insurrection Act, which allows a commander-in-chief to send active duty military in states that are failing to put down an insurrection or are resisting national authority.
After beginning his second term, Trump has sent or discussed sending troops to at least 10 urban centers, including Baltimore; Washington DC; New Orleans and California cities like Oakland, San Francisco and Los Angeles, claiming that the armed forces is necessary to combat crime and protect ICE officers.
Data shows that most violent crime across the US has declined in the past few years. In the city, for instance, murders were reduced 31% to 278 through late summer, according to police data.
A recent poll released on that day found that the majority of US citizens disapprove of the deployment of troops without an foreign danger.
