Former President Donald Trump on midweek called for the incarceration of Mayor Brandon Johnson and Governor JB Pritzker, accusing them of not safeguarding federal immigration officers.
"Chicago's Mayor should be jailed for failing to secure Immigration agents!" Trump posted on social media early Wednesday. "Governor Pritzker as well!"
The two leaders are members of the Democratic party.
Trump's statements coincide with the arrival of National Guard troops in the Windy City area under orders from the current government, notwithstanding strong objections from Illinois authorities such as the governor and mayor.
"This marks yet another attempt where Trump attempted to have a Black man unjustly detained," Mayor Johnson stated on Wednesday. "I'm not going put."
The governor responded via social platforms, stating: "I refuse to back down. Trump is now calling for imprisonment of elected officials checking his power. What's next on the path to complete autocracy?"
By Wednesday morning, military troops from Texas had reached the Elwood army reserve center, an army base approximately 50 miles from Chicago, as the administration advances with its aggressive urban crime policy and mass deportation efforts.
Trump has labeled Chicago a "dangerous hellhole", despite official statistics indicate significant drops in most criminal activities, including homicides.
On Wednesday, two hundred Texas National Guard troops were expected to deploy to the region, with another 300 state military personnel preparing to mobilize, according to sources. Authorities indicated the soldiers would avoid police functions but would protect ICE officers and government buildings.
Soldiers in combat attire with state guard patches were spotted at the military facility in Elwood. Vehicles marked "Emergency Disaster Services" dropped off portable toilets and essential items. Trailers were arranged in lines. Additional fencing was placed around the perimeter.
Aviation authorities imposed flight restrictions over the military base for safety concerns until 6 December.
Federal authorities has intensified immigration enforcement in Chicago in the past month, sparking demonstrations, particularly near an immigration center in a Chicago suburb.
Earlier this week, Illinois and Chicago initiated legal action targeting the administration, seeking to block the military dispatch, urging a court to stop what they describe as "Trump's long-declared 'Battle'" on the city and state, labeling it "illegal and risky".
Legal proceedings on their lawsuit is scheduled for the next day.
The mayor also signed an directive on that day prohibiting ICE officers and related personnel from using city-owned property as operation bases for deportation efforts.
Pritzker has accused Trump of using troops as "political props" and "chess pieces".
During a press briefing on the previous day, Pritzker said that the president is attempting to "rationalize and normalize the presence of military personnel under his direct command."
The historic Posse Comitatus Act limits the army's involvement in civilian law enforcement. Yet, the president has stated he would be willing to invoke the emergency powers, which permits a commander-in-chief to send regular army in states that are unable to suppress an insurrection or are resisting federal law.
After beginning his new administration, Trump has sent or mentioned sending military units to over ten urban centers, including Baltimore; Washington DC; New Orleans and California cities like Oakland, San Francisco and Los Angeles, claiming that the military presence is necessary to combat crime and protect ICE officers.
Data indicates that most violent crime nationwide has decreased in recent years. In the city, for instance, murders were down 31% to 278 through late summer, per police data.
New survey data published on that day found that the majority of US citizens oppose the sending of military forces without an foreign danger.
