Chicago braces for expanded immigration enforcement as local officials push back on Trump post

The Chicago space is bracing for extra immigration enforcement over the weekend.

In the meantime, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson pushed again in opposition to President Donald Trump Saturday after the president elevated his threats to ship in federal troops to the town with a social media meme.

In a submit on his social media platform, Trump reshared a picture that locations him in entrance of Chicago that insinuated he was going to take motion in opposition to the town, referencing his current rebranding of the Pentagon the “Division of Struggle.”

Pritzker slammed Trump and mentioned that the president threatened to go to warfare with the town by posting the memes.

“This isn’t regular. Donald Trump is not a strongman, he is a scared man. Illinois received’t be intimidated by a wannabe dictator,” Pritzker wrote in an X submit.

Johnson echoed the governor’s sentiment, saying the president’s “threats are beneath the respect of our nation, however the actuality is that he desires to occupy our metropolis and break our Structure.”

“We should defend our democracy from this authoritarianism by defending one another and defending Chicago from Donald Trump,” the mayor wrote in an X submit.

A White Home spokeswoman criticized the Illinois leaders in a press release, citing Chicago’s murders throughout the Labor Day weekend.

“Native Democrat leaders are extra upset a couple of submit from the President — that tells you all the things it’s essential know in regards to the Democrats’ twisted priorities,” Abigail Jackson, White Home spokeswoman, mentioned in a press release to ABC Information.

The forwards and backwards between Trump and Chicago Democrats has elevated during the last week because the president has vowed to step up federal enforcement of crimes and immigration enforcement, together with by deploying the Nationwide Guard .

Pritzker warned that there was a surge in ICE brokers within the metropolis and that there may very well be as many as 300 ICE brokers this weekend, in line with native officers.

In response to the potential for added ICE enforcement, metropolis officers from neighboring communities say they’re bracing for the rise of brokers in communities, in line with Gregory Jackson, who serves because the Chief of Employees in North Chicago, Illinois. Brokers and officers are anticipated to function out of the Nice Lakes Naval Station for about 30 days, he mentioned.

Fencing was seen going across the federal courthouse in Chicago, in anticipation of the enforcement actions occurring, in line with metropolis officers.

El Grito Chicago, the town’s competition for Mexican Independence Day, postponed the occasion scheduled for subsequent weekend citing ICE exercise.

“It was a painful determination, however holding El Grito Chicago presently places the security of our neighborhood at stake – and that is a threat we’re unwilling to take,” the occasion posted on its web site.

On Saturday, a crowd of protesters gathered outdoors Naval Station Nice Lakes to protest the anticipated immigration crackdown.

Trump has repeatedly singled out Chicago as he has mulled sending the Guard to different main American cities following his federal takeover of Washington. Trump has mentioned he most popular that cities ask for his administration’s help.

Pritzker has pushed again on the Trump administration’s involvement in Chicago, saying “I cannot name the president, asking him to ship troops to Chicago. I’ve made that clear already,” Pritzker mentioned.

A Division of Homeland Safety spokesperson instructed ABC Information that the enforcement is concentrating on the “worst of the worst” criminals.

“It’s no shock that these criminals flock to sanctuary cities the place politicians defend them and permit them to roam free on American streets placing American lives in danger,” the spokespersons mentioned. “DHS will go to wherever these legal unlawful aliens are — together with Chicago, Boston and different cities. Underneath President Trump and Secretary Noem, nowhere is a secure haven for legal unlawful aliens. In case you come to our nation illegally and break our legal guidelines, we are going to hunt you down, arrest you, deport you, and you’ll by no means return.”