New York : The Trump administration National Guardsmen Chicago deployment is set to proceed despite repeated objections from US Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker. He confirmed that President Donald Trump plans to send 300 National Guardsmen to the city, overriding the state’s resistance.
Pritzker said on social media on Saturday (local time) that the Trump administration gave him an ultimatum: “call up your troops, or we will.”
Meanwhile, he added, “In the coming hours, the Trump Administration intends to federalise 300 members of the Illinois National Guard.”
“Amidst ongoing violent riots and lawlessness, local leaders like Pritzker have refused to step in to quell, President Trump has authorised 300 National Guardsmen to protect federal officers and assets,” White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said in a statement issued on Saturday. This action reflects the Trump administration National Guardsmen Chicago mission’s objective to protect federal personnel.
Furthermore, Pritzker made his comments about the National Guard federalisation amid continued clashes between immigration authorities and protesters in the Chicago area. The Trump administration National Guardsmen Chicago deployment comes as part of broader federal efforts to maintain law and order.
On Saturday morning, law enforcement patrolling in Chicago shot an unidentified “armed US citizen” whom Homeland Security had flagged. As a result, tensions escalated in the city, increasing the urgency for the Trump administration National Guardsmen Chicago operation.
Protests broke out in the city on Saturday, and armed border patrol agents deployed what appeared to be chemical irritants toward protesters, reports Xinhua news agency.
Over the last month, Trump has threatened to send the National Guard into several cities, particularly Democratic-run ones, to curb crime and bolster immigration enforcement agents. These measures included the Trump administration National Guardsmen Chicago deployment to respond to escalating civil unrest.
He already deployed the National Guard to Washington, DC, in August.
Last week, the Trump administration also put on hold 2.1 billion US dollars in Chicago infrastructure projects due to the federal government shutdown.
The assets remain on hold “to ensure funding is not flowing via race-based contracting,” Russell Vought, the White House budget director, said on X.
The Department of Transportation (DOT) replied to Vought’s post on X, saying the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Red Line Extension and the CTA Red and Purple Modernisation Program are under administrative review to determine whether any unconstitutional practices are occurring.
Additionally, the move followed other Trump administration efforts to withhold funds from Democrat-led states and cities.
On Wednesday, Vought announced that the DOT froze $18 billion in federal funding for two major infrastructure projects in New York City.
On Thursday, the Department of Energy cancelled nearly $8 billion in funding for climate-related projects and other initiatives, largely in Democratic-led states. These measures indirectly support the Trump administration National Guardsmen Chicago deployment by reallocating federal oversight and resources.
–IANS
