Chicago mayor: National Guard deployment 'illegal, unconstitutional … dangerous'
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson (D) on Tuesday called the expected National Guard deployment in his city “illegal, unconstitutional,” and “dangerous,” as local officials await the arrival of federalized troops .
In a press conference, the Democratic mayor told reporters that the Trump administration has not shared with his team any details about President Trump’s plans to send in the National Guard to Chicago.
“As far as what we are hearing, the National Guard — first of all, it's illegal, unconstitutional, it's dangerous, it's wrong. This is not about deportation. This is not about safety for this president,” Johnson said at the press conference.
“This is about authoritarianism. It's about stoking fear. It's about breaking the Constitution that would give him that much more control over our American cities,” Johnson continued.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) has said that about 300 members of the Illinois National Guard were expected to be federalized and deployed to Chicago, along with 400 troops from Texas .
Reporters from The Associated Press and the Chicago Tribune saw military personnel on Tuesday at the U.S. Army Reserve Center in Elwood, Ill., approximately 55 miles southwest of Chicago. The individuals were dressed in uniforms with patches identifying them as members of the Texas National Guard, according to both outlets.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) on Monday posted a photo to social media of members boarding a plane, writing, “Deploying now,” but he did not indicate where they were going.
Illinois and Chicago sued on Monday to block Trump administration’s deployment of the National Guard to Chicago, calling the move “unlawful and dangerous.”
“The American people, regardless of where they reside, should not live under the threat of occupation by the United States military, particularly not simply because their city or state leadership has fallen out of a president’s favor,” the complaint reads .
Johnson echoed those concerns at the press conference Tuesday.
“This president is determined to federalize the National Guard and to occupy our cities with the military,” Johnson said. “It's unconscionable. It's unthinkable, but this is America today, and we're going to do everything in our power to ensure that our democracy is ultimately protected.”
The White House has defended the crackdown as an effort to control “lawlessness.”
“Amidst ongoing violent riots and lawlessness, that local leaders like Pritzker have refused to step in to quell, President Trump has exercised his lawful authority to protect federal officers and assets,” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said in a statement . “President Trump will not turn a blind eye to the lawlessness plaguing American cities.”
