When the United States President, Donald Trump, proposed to send National Guard forces and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials to the city of Chicago recently, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker publicly questioned the president’s legal jurisdiction for such an action. However, behind closed doors, the Governor along with the Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson were pondering over ways they could protect their city from such a federal deployment. This sort of federal action was already happening in two other Democrat-led cities with African American Mayors, specifically Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. Their grim realization was that they had little power to prevent this.
The reports indicate the president’s aggressive extends to warnings of a potential federal deployment in Chicago, the third-largest city in the country. This has led to city officials and local community organizers taking measures to prepare for any possible eventuality. The State’s Attorney General, Kwame Raoul, stated on Monday his office’s intent on forming a legal contingency plan, in the case that the troops are indeed deployed.
Advocates for immigrants are amplifying efforts to provide legal training in preparation for any eventuality. Community leaders, predominantly those working in parts of Chicago severely affected by violent crime, have expressed concern that the introduction of National Guard troops might potentially be counterproductive, hampering their ongoing initiatives to develop trust in these areas.
This concern is also echoed in the potential collaboration between the Chicago police force and ICE officials. Larry Snelling, the Chicago Police Chief, addressed this with a clear stance. He stated that while his officers would not look to help federal law enforcement, they would not obstruct it either.
Snelling further emphasized, ‘We are absolutely not interested in inquiring about anyone’s immigration status. Our focus remains on ensuring the safety of our city’s residents. Our duty is towards them and we remain committed to protecting our people.’ These assurances come against a backdrop of heated national debates about immigration policies and law enforcement.
President Trump’s rhetoric paints a distressing image of the crime levels in Chicago, which he refers to as a ‘disaster’. The city of Chicago has struggled with a reputation of disproportionately high crime rates over time, specifically concerning occurrences of gun violence. Data shows that the city has recorded about 1,229 shootings within this current year itself.
However, it’s important to acknowledge that Chicago has been successful in significantly reducing its crime rate since the pandemic’s conclusion. The number of fatal shootings dropped by 36% between January 1 and August 25, compared to the same time period in the previous year. The downtrend in violent crime is a reflection seen in several other American cities, suggesting the positive outcomes of increased federal funding for key community services, such as teachers, police, and social workers.
President Trump also points to Chicago’s status as a ‘sanctuary city’ for immigrants as another basis for critique. Starting in 2022, several waves of immigrants started migrating to Chicago from the country’s border, typically transported via buses arranged by officials from Texas and other southern states.
By the end of the following summer, the city reported that approximately 46,000 migrants were housed in shelters within Chicago. This development has sparked fear within the immigrant community, extending even to those with permanent resident status. The worry lies in the potential for being erroneously detained, which has led to a significant increase in demand for legal help and resources to fight deportation litigation.
The imminent threat of deploying troops and ICE agents in the city has only added to this prevailing anxiety among immigrants. The laws do not place any restrictions on the deployment of federal law enforcement officers like ICE agents in cities like Chicago.
There are certain voices in this conversation arguing that the introduction of the National Guard in Chicago may be unconstitutional, considering US laws that prevent the military from executing civilian law enforcement. The current situation brings forth a challenging time for civil rights and legal borders in Chicago, with the national conversation on immigration and law enforcement at its forefront.
The post Trump’s Plan to Deploy National Guard to Chicago Raises Questions appeared first on Real News Now.
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