President Donald Trump has escalated his feud with Illinois officials, calling for the arrest of Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. The president accused them of failing to protect federal immigration officers operating in Chicago, as tensions over immigration enforcement continue to intensify nationwide.
In a post on social media, Trump wrote that the two Democratic officials “should be in jail for failing to protect Ice Officers!” The statement marks another clash between the White House and Democratic-led cities that have pushed back against federal immigration policies. Trump has previously referred to Chicago as a “war zone” due to protests surrounding immigration enforcement.
Governor Pritzker responded by denouncing the president’s remarks, calling them “authoritarian.” The ongoing dispute comes as hundreds of National Guard troops were deployed to Chicago as part of Trump’s latest immigration crackdown, a move that has drawn widespread criticism from state and local officials.
Escalating Confrontation Between Federal and Local Authorities
The arrival of federal troops has deepened the conflict between the Trump administration and leaders in Illinois. The Chicago mayor reacted strongly to Trump’s comments, saying, “this is not the first time Trump has tried to have a Black man unjustly arrested. I’m not going anywhere.”
Governor Pritzker also refused to back down, stating, “Trump is now calling for the arrest of elected representatives checking his power. What else is left on the path to full-blown authoritarianism?”
The deployment of National Guard troops to Chicago mirrors earlier moves by the Trump administration in Los Angeles and Washington, DC. The president has described the situation in several cities as “out of control” and framed the troop presence as essential to restoring order and protecting immigration officers.
However, these actions have faced increasing legal challenges. Last month, Washington DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb filed a lawsuit arguing that the deployment of troops there was “not only unnecessary and unwanted, but it is also dangerous and harmful to the District and its residents.”
