The mayor of Chicago has signed an order detailing how the city will resist a potential immigration crackdown threatened by the Trump administration.
We do not need nor want an unconstitutional and illegal military occupation of our city, said Mayor Brandon Johnson, a Democrat. The order directs city agencies on how to respond to possible immigration enforcement actions.
Trump has already deployed about 2,000 troops to Washington DC and has threatened to extend the order to Chicago, which he describes as a mess. Reports also suggest that the administration plans to surge federal immigration agents into the city.
A White House spokesperson labeled Johnson's order a publicity stunt.
The initiative is part of an escalating feud between the White House and Illinois state and local officials over violent crime and immigration. The order demands federal agents to stand down from any attempts to deploy the US Armed Forces in Chicago.
Furthermore, Johnson's order reaffirms existing city policies, such as requirements for law enforcement officers to wear body cameras and clear identification, and a ban on masked identities during operations.
Johnson stated that city officials would assist residents in understanding their rights concerning immigration enforcement and would not permit local officers to engage in joint patrols with federal agents.
Local officials have highlighted that over one in five residents in Chicago are immigrants, many of whom come from Latin America, though estimates of undocumented immigrants remain unclear.
Trump has previously called Chicago a killing field, characterizing crime rates as an emergency. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has criticized Trump's threats to deploy the National Guard as an abuse of power.
Pritzker accused Trump of attempting to create a crisis to distract from the issues facing working families. White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson countered that Chicago officials ought to focus on reducing crime instead of making partisan statements against the President.
