Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker accused the Trump administration of staging a “military-style invasion” of Chicago, saying federal agents used Black Hawk helicopters during an immigration raid. His comments came hours after Illinois and Chicago filed a lawsuit seeking to block the federalization and deployment of the National Guard.
“Donald Trump is using our service members as political props and pawns in his illegal effort to militarize our nation’s cities,” Pritzker said. He played footage of an ICE raid in Chicago’s South Shore neighborhood, showing helicopters and over 100 tactical agents rappelling onto a building.
Pritzker Accuses Trump of Manufacturing Crisis
Pritzker alleged the administration is “creating chaos” to justify invoking the Insurrection Act. He described the use of tear gas against protesters as part of a strategy to make peaceful demonstrations look like riots. “Why? To create the pretext for invoking the Insurrection Act so that he can send military troops to our city,” he said.
Speaking at the White House, Trump said he hasn’t yet decided to use the Insurrection Act but would do so if “courts or governors were holding us up.”
Lawsuit Challenges Federal Power
The 69-page lawsuit argues there’s “no insurrection or rebellion” in Illinois and that the crisis is “manufactured.” It claims Trump’s actions violate the Posse Comitatus Act, which restricts military involvement in domestic law enforcement. Lawyers asked a judge to block the federalization of any state’s National Guard for deployment to Illinois.
The complaint cites Trump’s posts about sending militarized forces to Chicago, including one that said, “I love the smell of deportations in the morning,” and accuses him of targeting Democratic-led cities for political gain.
Federal Crackdown Sparks Violence and Tension
Over the weekend, two incidents involving protesters and immigration agents escalated tensions. In one, Border Patrol agents shot a woman they said rammed their vehicles during an “ambush.” In another, a man was arrested for allegedly ramming a CBP vehicle.
Trump has described Chicago as a “war zone,” but local officials argue he’s exaggerating unrest to justify military action.
Chicago Pushes Back with ‘ICE Free Zones’
Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an executive order banning federal immigration agents from using city property. “Chicago stands firm in protecting the Constitutional rights of our residents and immigrant communities,” Johnson said, condemning ICE’s actions as abuses of power.
White House official Stephen Miller criticized the order, accusing local leaders of failing to condemn violence against federal officers.
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