The Trump administration had planned to send National Guard to Chicago as President Donald Trump seeks to expand the illegal agenda and crackdown on immigration in major U.S. cities, two officials told CNN.
It is not yet clear how many troops will be sent to Chicago, or when they will begin to unfold.
Trump appears to be previewing those plans in his oval office on Friday, saying, “I think Chicago will be our next one. And we’ll help out in New York.”
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, a Democrat, said Friday that the city has not heard of the expansion or the rise in law enforcement presence from the White House, adding that such a move would be “illegal” and “illegal.”
When asked for comment, the White House introduced CNN on Saturday to Trump’s remarks in the oval office a day ago. When asked by reporters on Friday whether he had taken “specific steps” to crack down on the city, he said he had never spoken to the mayor of Chicago. CNN contacted the Pentagon to comment on the possible military deployment to Chicago, originally reported by the Washington Post.
The plan coincides with the Trump administration’s extraordinary efforts to use the military for law enforcement and immigration actions within US borders.
MNA