Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, a Democrat, signed an executive order on Saturday prohibiting city police from collaborating with National Guard troops or federal agents if President Donald Trump proceeds with deploying them to the city, citing concerns over local sovereignty and civil liberties. The order was announced in response to Trump’s recent threats to send federal forces to Chicago due to rising violent crime rates. Johnson emphasized that such a deployment would undermine democratic norms and risk escalating tensions rather than securing the peace.
Johnson’s executive order states that local police will continue to enforce state and local laws but will not work with the National Guard or federal agents on patrols, arrests, immigration enforcement, or other law enforcement actions. The mayor argued that the deployment of federal military forces without local consent violates the city’s sovereignty and threatens the rights of its residents, including the risk of families being separated and vulnerable communities being targeted by federal agents.
The order also mandates that Chicago police officers wear their official uniforms, identify themselves, follow body camera procedures, and avoid wearing masks to distinguish themselves from federal operations. Johnson has criticized the potential for federal forces to deputize local officers, arguing that this would divert their focus from crime reduction to political posturing. This stance aligns with Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, who has similarly warned that a federal deployment without state approval would be unconstitutional and un-American.
Trump responded to the criticism by calling both Pritzker and Johnson ‘incompetent,’ reflecting the growing tensions between the administration and local leaders over the issue. The White House dismissed Johnson’s order as an attempt to politicize crime reduction, arguing that the focus should be on improving crime rates in Democratic-controlled cities rather than criticizing the president’s policies. Despite these disputes, previous National Guard deployments to Chicago had been coordinated with local authorities, though Trump’s recent actions have raised new concerns about the legality and necessity of such interventions.
Johnson has also cited declining violent crime in Chicago, noting that homicides, robberies, and shootings have dropped significantly in recent months. However, the mayor remains determined to ensure that any federal deployment is done with full local cooperation. The situation highlights the broader debate over the role of federal versus state authority in addressing public safety and the potential impact of political rhetoric on law enforcement and community trust.