The conflict between the US government and cities run by the Democratic Party over immigration policies and law enforcement is intensifying. Tensions rose in Chicago this past weekend, following President Donald Trump’s announcement that he intends to deploy the National Guard along with ICE agents to the city. Governor JB Pritzker of Illinois retorted that the state won’t be ‘bullied by an aspiring autocrat’. Specifics about the President’s plan for Chicago were still unclear as of early Sunday, causing unease in migrant communities particularly during the Mexican Independence Day.
Many Mexican Independence Day festivities have been called off due to the expectation of increased ICE raids in and around Chicago. ‘I urge our citizens to be informed of their rights and take extra precaution,’ stated Pritzker at a news conference the previous week. ‘Avoid falling into their trap, protest if you can. Videotape everything that transpires.’
Law enforcement measures are being enhanced in other parts of the country as well. On Saturday, it was revealed from federal sources that the Trump administration has commenced an immigration clampdown in Boston. In tandem, the White House is suing city officials over alleged obstructions to federal operations.
On the previous Friday, during a raid on a Hyundai factory in Georgia, hundreds of workers were detained by federal officers. This operation is being touted as ‘the record-breaking single-site enforcement action in the history of Homeland Security investigations.’ President Trump has hinted that other cities run by Democrats, such as Baltimore and New Orleans, could be targeted next. This follows an extraordinary move by the president to interfere in Washington, D.C.’s affairs.
Public demonstrations against Trump’s imposition of federal forces reached new high over the weekend as the fourth week of law enforcement takeover in Washington, D.C., commenced. ‘We’ll be replicating this strategy in other cities across the nation,’ announced Trump on Friday, referring to data indicating a decrease in violent crime in D.C. since the inception of his initiative.
Trump’s emergency declaration, which gives him control over local police forces in D.C., is due to end on Wednesday. A renewal from the Congress seems unlikely at the moment. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser signed an executive order last week, delineating a structure to keep collaborating with the federal law enforcement. ‘I want the Congress to know we have a mechanism to solicit or employ federal resources in our city. We don’t require a presidential emergency,’ Bowser asserted.
The president’s deployment of the National Guard in D.C. appears to be extended regardless of the emergency declaration’s expiration. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp publicized his intention to send 316 members of the state’s National Guard to Washington, D.C. later this month. This decision is consistent with seven other Republican-controlled states and is an addition to the president’s primary deployment.
In the meantime, the number of legal challenges and potential lawsuits against these measures is increasing. Illinois Governor Pritzker has threatened to sue the Trump administration if the president attempts to dispatch the National Guard to Chicago without his consent. A similar lawsuit is happening in California where earlier in the year, the president deployed troops in Los Angeles in response to protests against immigration.
In the past week, a federal judge concluded that the military deployment in Los Angeles violated laws that prevent military engagement in domestic policing, a claim that the Trump administration refutes. The judge aimed to limit the guard’s role from September 12 onwards, but the decision was halted by an appeal court. This allows for a more in-depth examination and argumentation regarding the case.
The post US Government Intensifies Conflict with Democratic Cities over Immigration appeared first on Real News Now.
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