Following President Donald Trump’s pledge for action in Chicago, city officials and residents are preparing to resist a potential federal intervention, which Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker indicated might commence this weekend.
The Trump Administration has offered limited specifics on the nature of a National Guard presence in Chicago, or when such a deployment would occur—if at all. When questioned on Tuesday about sending troops to the city as he had previously stated he intended, Trump informed reporters, “We’re going in,” but added, “I didn’t say when.” Vice President JD Vance confirmed the following day that there were “no immediate plans.”
Pritzker, however, revealed this week that Illinois officials have been informed that the National Guard will be deployed by Friday and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will begin operations in the city starting Saturday.
The governor has committed to “hold the line,” and both Chicago authorities and its inhabitants are getting ready to push back.
Here are several ways the city and state are preparing.
Chicago officials and police
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson issued an executive order over the weekend instructing the city’s police force not to collaborate with federal agents in any potential federal enforcement efforts targeting crime and immigration.
The directive specifies that “no CPD personnel shall be assigned joint law enforcement patrols, arrest operations, or other law enforcement duties alongside federal law enforcement, or military personnel, or National Guard units engaging in civil immigration enforcement.”
Johnson also urged city departments, officials, and police to resist all attempts by the federal government to coordinate with state and city authorities.
“With this executive order, we send a clear message to the federal government: we do not need nor want an unconstitutional and illegal military occupation of our city. We will take any action necessary to protect the rights of Chicagoans,” Johnson declared.
A “Protecting Chicago Initiative” established by the executive order aims to make information regarding residents’ rights readily available, coordinate with businesses and agencies to address community needs, and regularly submit Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) concerning actions taken by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) against Chicago residents.
The state
Pritzker has vowed that legal action would follow a deployment, though he stated on Tuesday that Illinois would only file a lawsuit against Trump once the President’s justification for deploying the National Guard in Chicago becomes known.
“We absolutely will go into court,” the governor affirmed.
Pritzker has not been in communication with Trump to discuss the Guard’s deployment, in order to legally protect himself, the governor explained on Wednesday.
“He wants to establish a fact pattern where the governor called him to ask for help. Why? Because he’s going to end up in court,” Pritzker said. “He’s going to end up in court, and that will be a fact they will use in court. That the governor called to ask for help, and I’m sorry I’m not going to provide him with evidence to support his desire to have the court rule in his favor. I’m just not going to do that.”
Illinois has previously initiated or joined multiple lawsuits against the Trump Administration since Trump returned to the White House in January.
A judge ruled this week that Trump’s deployment of the National Guard in Los Angeles earlier this summer was unlawful due to the use of soldiers to perform law enforcement functions.
Chicago’s Black and Hispanic communities
With Trump’s looming threat of a crackdown, many Black churches across Chicago are planning to participate in “Resistance Sunday” this week to provide information about citizens’ legal rights should they be stopped or questioned by officials.
Mayor Johnson has sharply criticized Trump’s targeting of Democratic cities and labeled efforts to combat crime by sending more people to prison as “racist, immoral, and unholy.”
“We cannot incarcerate our way out of violence; we’ve already tried that, and we’ve ended up with the largest prison population in the world without solving the problems of crime and violence,” Johnson said in a press conference last week.
“The president’s threats to send federal troops to Chicago are a clear blatant attack on the Black community and the immigrant community,” the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression stated.
Pritzker on Tuesday expressed “deep concern” that intensified federal immigration enforcement efforts would target Mexican Independence Day celebrations scheduled to take place in the city in mid-September. Organizers of these events plan to increase security measures, acknowledging that the threat of immigration-related arrests might deter attendance.
“We have reason to believe that Stephen Miller chose the month of September to come to Chicago because of celebrations around Mexican Independence Day that happen here every year,” Pritzker said.
“It’s a dark cloud that is hanging over our heads. But we are planning a safe event,” Teresa Fraga informed the Associated Press. Fraga is organizing an event in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood, where she mentioned there would be heightened security and lawyers present.
Protests
Activist networks in Chicago have circulated schedules for anti-Trump marches and training sessions on civil rights, while also providing phone numbers where people can report immigration arrests.
Demonstrations against the Administration have already occurred this week, with hundreds of people taking to the streets in Chicago in “Coalition Against the Trump Agenda” and “Workers Over Billionaires” marches. Further protests are planned for when National Guard troops arrive.
The Illinois Immigrant Rights Agenda has planned an emergency “Chicago Says No Trump, No Troops” protest for if and when the Guard is deployed.
