Chicago Police Prepare for Possible National Guard, ICE Deployments

President Donald Trump has threatened to send National Guard troops and immigration agents to Chicago, prompting local officials to prepare for a federal deployment.

The Details: Planning from the Pentagon has included both crime-focused troop deployments and the use of Naval Station Great Lakes, a Chicago-area military base, to support Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker responded saying, “Mr. President, do not come to Chicago. You are neither wanted here nor needed here.” According to Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling, officers are being trained to follow the city’s “welcoming city” ordinance, which prohibits local police from enforcing federal immigration laws. 

For Context: On August 11, Trump deployed National Guard troops to Washington, DC in an effort to "stop violent crime." According to the Chicago Police, total year-to-year crime rates are down 13% from 2024. In July, the city’s homicide rate was 1.66 per 100,000 residents, lower than rates in cities including Washington, DC, New Orleans, Kansas City, and Little Rock. Chicago is a sanctuary city under the city's Welcoming City Ordinance. In 2021, Illinois passed The TRUST Act, which generally prohibits local law enforcement in Illinois from participating in immigration enforcement.

How the Media Covered It: NBC 5 Chicago (Center bias) covered crime rates in the city, and arguments from both Trump and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson about the data. Fox News (Right) highlighted the ongoing "feud" between Trump and Pritzker. It primarily focused on Pritzker’s response to the potential deployment, saying it was “unconstitutional” and “unAmerican.” Politico (Lean Left) covered the Chicago Police’s preparation should federal troops enter the city.

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