Here’s how a military mobilization in Chicago would be different than D.C.

CHICAGO (WGN) — As Illinois democrats ridicule and rebel against President Donald Trump’s threat to deploy the military to Chicago to crack down on crime, it’s worth noting the mission here would be somewhat different than what’s happening in Washington, D.C.

 “The president can federalize the National Guard but that authority is not absolute,” said retired Major General David Harris who previously led the National Guard in Illinois. “He can do it in the event of an invasion. He can do it to put down a rebellion or to execute federal laws; but in this situation, I’m not sure what the reason is.”

Trump Administration officials appear to acknowledge the need for a different approach in Chicago.  Unlike in the District of Columbia, the president does not have the ability to direct a local mayor or police to cooperate with a federal takeover.   

Instead, federal officials say since Illinois law prohibits local police from cooperating with immigration enforcement, the military would help with arrest and deportation efforts.   

“It’s a support function,” Trump border czar Tom Homan told NewsNation. “They’re a force multiplier… it helps us arrest bad guy quicker and makes it more efficient.”

That would seem to indicate that National Guard members might be deployed to Chicago’s immigrant neighborhoods as opposed to marquee sites such as Navy Pier or Grant Park… or the highest crime neighborhoods on the south and west sides.

While public opinion polls show Washington, D.C. residents are overwhelmingly opposed to the military presence in their city, some say any help is welcome.

“I think we’ve gotten used to a certain level of crime that we shouldn’t be used to,” resident Shea Taylor said.  “We should be doing all we can to make everything safe.”

But mobilizing the military isn’t cheap. The Pentagon estimated the 60-day deployment in Los Angeles in June would cost $134 million dollars.  That could pay a year’s salary for 2,134 rookie Chicago cops.