Jb Pritzker Blasts Plan For National Guard Deployment To Chicago

CHICAGO, Illinois — Gov. JB Pritzker says the Trump administration is giving the go-ahead to send troops to Chicago, a move he and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson called unconstitutional and politically motivated.

The news comes as Illinois joined other states in filing a lawsuit against the administration for withholding public safety and disaster-relief funds.

Pritzker said the Department of Homeland Security had notified Illinois that a memo was sent to the Department of Defense requesting “the deployment of 100 military troops to Illinois claiming a need for the protection of ICE personnel and facilities,” referring to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The Democratic governor, who has been in contact with Oregon officials, noted this was the same type of communication previously sent to Portland, before the Trump administration authorized 200 members of the Oregon National Guard to perform federal functions there.

“It’s a pretext for bringing troops into the city and normalizing the militarization of our cities, and we just won't allow that,” said Pritzker during a press conference from his state offices in downtown Chicago.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a memo saying her office will go tough on lawbreaking protesters targeting ICE in Illinois or Oregon. “Enough is enough. The Department of Justice will stand strong when federal law enforcement officers are attacked or threatened for doing their sworn duty,” according to the memorandum.

Of the federal immigration and customs agents already operating in Illinois, Pritzker accused them of wreaking “chaos” and “havoc” across communities. “They're not targeting violent criminals or gang members. They're arresting tamale vendors and delivery men and shaking down families.”

Over the weekend, Department of Homeland Security agents fanned across the already heavily policed and tourist-friendly areas of downtown Chicago. They patrolled the Magnificent Mile, the Chicago Riverwalk and the upscale Gold Coast and River North neighborhoods. They even walked around Trump Tower.

Pritzker warned of broader threats posed by Trump’s actions, stating, “You cannot call this anything except an attack on the Constitution of the United States.”

The governor also expressed deep concern for the safety and well-being of Illinois residents. “Our small businesses suffer when our residents and visitors who are shopping and eating are made to feel unsafe by the jackbooted thugs roaming around a peaceful downtown. Parents are now scared to send their kids to school, for fear the troops will grab their children. Students are afraid they'll come home and find their parents have been disappeared by ICE. This is no way to live,” he said.

Pritzker and Johnson were joined by top elected officials, including Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, along with business, faith and nonprofit leaders. Even Jack Lavin, the president and CEO of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, spoke out.

“With one voice, we are telling this unwarranted and unconstitutional occupation by ICE and potentially by military troops to get out of Chicago. You are not helping us,” Pritzker declared.

Johnson likewise condemned the aggressive ICE presence in downtown Chicago, saying residents are “shocked and appalled” by the sight of federal agents on city streets. “This stunt has nothing to do with public safety. This is about politics, money and power,” he said.

He also pointed to alleged corruption at the federal level, citing border czar Tom Homan. Johnson said Homan “sold out the American people for $50,000 in cash,” and demanded an investigation into ICE detention center contracts in both Chicago and Illinois.

Attorney General Raoul noted that while Illinois has historically worked in coordination with federal agencies focused on legitimate law enforcement, he rejected the use of agents lacking that specific expertise. He, along with Pritzker and Johnson, criticized the Trump administration for withholding federal funds earmarked for crime-fighting in cities and states.

On the heels of the press event, Illinois joined a lawsuit “challenging the administration’s unlawful reallocation of more than $100 million in public safety and disaster relief funds.”

POLITICO’s Josh Gerstein contributed to this report.