Former President Donald Trump on midweek demanded the incarceration of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, alleging them of not safeguarding ICE agents.
"The city's leader belongs behind bars 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 faction.
Trump's statements come alongside the deployment of National Guard troops in the Chicago region under orders from the current government, notwithstanding strong objections from state officials such as the governor and mayor.
"This represents not the first instance where Trump has sought to have an African American leader unjustly detained," Mayor Johnson stated on Wednesday. "I am staying put."
Pritzker also replied via online channels, declaring: "I refuse to back down. Now Trump is calling for imprisonment of elected officials checking his power. What remains on the road toward full-blown authoritarianism?"
As of midweek, National Guard units from Texas had arrived at the Elwood army reserve center, an army base roughly 50 miles from Chicago, as the federal government advances with its aggressive crime strategy and immigration enforcement operations.
Trump has called Chicago a "crime-ridden disaster zone", despite official statistics indicate significant drops in most criminal activities, such as homicides.
On Wednesday, two hundred state guard troops were scheduled to arrive to the Chicago area, with another 300 state military personnel readying for deployment, according to sources. Authorities reportedly stated the troops would not perform law enforcement duties but would protect ICE officers and government buildings.
Soldiers wearing uniforms with Texas national guard insignia were observed at the military facility in Elwood. Trucks labeled "Emergency Disaster Services" delivered portable toilets and essential items. Mobile units were arranged in rows. Additional fencing was installed around the perimeter.
Aviation authorities imposed no-fly zones over the military base for security reasons until early December.
Federal authorities has intensified deportation operations in the city in the past month, triggering demonstrations, especially near an immigration center in a Chicago suburb.
Earlier this week, Illinois and Chicago filed a lawsuit targeting the administration, attempting to halt the military dispatch, urging a court to stop what they call "the president's proclaimed 'War'" on the city and state, labeling it "illegal and risky".
A court hearing on their case is set for Thursday.
The mayor also signed an executive order on Monday prohibiting federal immigration agents and related personnel from using city-owned property as staging areas for enforcement actions.
Pritzker has accused Trump of using troops as "political props" and "chess pieces".
At a news conference on the previous day, Pritzker said that the president is trying to "justify and normalize the deployment of military personnel under his direct command."
The historic Posse Comitatus Act limits the military's role in civilian law enforcement. Yet, the president has stated he would be prepared to invoke the Insurrection Act, which permits a commander-in-chief to dispatch active duty military in states that are unable to put down an insurrection or are defying federal law.
After beginning his new administration, Trump has sent or discussed deploying troops to at least 10 cities, such as major metropolitan areas and California cities like Oakland, San Francisco and Los Angeles, claiming that the military presence is essential to combat crime and protect ICE officers.
Data indicates that serious offenses across the US has declined in recent years. In Chicago, for instance, murders were reduced 31% to 278 through late summer, according to police data.
A recent poll published on that day found that most Americans oppose the deployment of military forces without an external threat.
