President Donald Trump on Wednesday called for the arrest of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, accusing the two Democratic officials of obstructing federal immigration enforcement and endangering U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel.
The president made the demand via his social media platform, stating that both officials “should be in jail” for allegedly failing to protect ICE officers operating in Chicago.
The remarks come amid heightened tensions between the Trump administration and Democratic-led cities over immigration policy and federal troop deployments.
“This is not the first time Trump has tried to have a Black man unjustly arrested. I’m not going anywhere,” Mayor Johnson said in a statement posted online.
Johnson had earlier signed an executive order declaring Chicago an “ICE-Free Zone,” barring federal immigration agents from using city property.
Governor Pritzker also condemned the president’s comments, describing them as authoritarian. “Trump is now calling for the arrest of elected representatives checking his power. What else is left on the path to full-blown authoritarianism?” he said.
Despite opposition from state and local leaders, hundreds of Texas National Guard troops have assembled at a military facility outside Chicago.
The deployment, authorized by President Trump, is part of a broader federal initiative to combat what the administration describes as “domestic terrorism” in major urban centers.
A federal judge on Monday granted temporary approval for the deployment in Chicago, while a separate court blocked similar action in Portland, Oregon.
Meanwhile, former FBI Director James Comey appeared in court to face charges of lying to Congress. Comey, who denies the allegations, is expected to plead not guilty.
Critics have described the charges as politically motivated, noting Trump’s repeated threats to prosecute his opponents.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll released Wednesday showed that a majority of Americans oppose the deployment of military troops to cities without an external threat.
The Trump administration has defended its actions, citing a need to “stop crime in America.” Officials have also threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act to bypass legal challenges.
Ravenewsonline reports that violent crime has been declining in several U.S. cities, and National Guard troops have primarily been tasked with protecting federal facilities.
