Ex-President Donald Trump on midweek demanded the incarceration of Mayor Brandon Johnson and Governor JB Pritzker, alleging them of failing to protect federal immigration officers.
"Chicago's Mayor belongs behind bars for failing to secure Immigration agents!" Trump posted on his platform Wednesday morning. "The Illinois governor as well!"
The two leaders are members of the Democratic faction.
Trump's statements come alongside the deployment of National Guard troops in the Chicago region under orders from the current government, notwithstanding strong objections from state officials including the governor and mayor.
"This represents yet another attempt where Trump attempted to have an African American leader wrongfully arrested," Johnson responded on Wednesday. "I am staying put."
The governor responded via social platforms, stating: "I refuse to back down. Trump is now demanding arrests of elected officials checking his power. What remains on the path to full-blown autocracy?"
By Wednesday morning, military troops from the Lone Star State had reached the Elwood training facility, a military installation approximately 80 kilometers from the city, as the federal government pushes forward with its aggressive crime strategy and immigration enforcement operations.
Trump has called Chicago a "crime-ridden disaster zone", despite police data indicate notable reductions in many offenses, such as homicides.
On Wednesday, 200 Texas National Guard members were scheduled to arrive to the region, with another 300 Illinois guard forces readying for deployment, per reports. Officials indicated the soldiers would avoid police functions but would secure ICE officers and government buildings.
Military personnel wearing uniforms with Texas national guard patches were spotted at the military facility in the town. Trucks labeled "Disaster Relief" dropped off portable toilets and other supplies. Mobile units were set up in rows. Additional fencing was placed around the perimeter.
The Federal Aviation Administration imposed flight restrictions over the army reserve center for security reasons until 6 December.
Federal authorities has escalated deportation operations in Chicago in recent weeks, sparking protests, particularly near an processing facility in Broadview.
On Monday, Illinois and Chicago filed a lawsuit targeting the federal government, attempting to halt the National Guard deployment, asking a federal judge to stop what they describe as "the president's proclaimed 'Battle'" on Chicago and Illinois, labeling it "unlawful and dangerous".
Legal proceedings on their case is scheduled for Thursday.
The mayor also signed an directive on Monday banning ICE officers and related personnel from using city-owned property as staging areas for deportation efforts.
Pritzker has charged Trump of using military forces as "staged tools" and "pawns".
During a press briefing on Tuesday, he said that Trump is trying to "justify and normalize the deployment of armed soldiers under his personal authority."
The historic Posse Comitatus Act limits the military's role in civilian law enforcement. However, Trump has stated he would be prepared to invoke the emergency powers, which permits a president to send active duty military in regions that are unable to put down an uprising or are defying national authority.
After beginning his new administration, the president has dispatched or discussed sending military units to at least 10 cities, including major metropolitan areas and California cities like Oakland, San Francisco and Los Angeles, arguing that the military presence is essential to fight violence and protect ICE officers.
Data shows that most violent crime across the US has decreased in recent years. In the city, for example, murders were down 31% to under three hundred through August, according to law enforcement reports.
A recent poll published on Wednesday revealed that the majority of US citizens disapprove of the sending of military forces without an external threat.
