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Pritzker is scheduled to speak at 3 p.m. CT. His remarks will be carried live in the player above.
After deploying federal troops to Washington D.C., in a crackdown on crime and illegal immigration, President Donald Trump has threatened to deploy the National Guard to Chicago next.
Pritzker has voiced strong opposition to federal actions in Chicago, stating this weekend on CBS’ “Face the Nation” that the move would equate to a military invasion.
“This is dangerous. They shouldn’t be doing it. It’s anti-American,” Pritzker said.
“We would like the ATF to help us take guns off the street. We would like the FBI to, again, coordinate with our local law enforcement to help catch perpetrators of crimes. If they would to that, we would welcome that. But that’s not what they’re planning to do,” he added.
On Saturday, President Donald Trump commented about Chicago crime and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker on his Truth Social site: “Six people were killed, and 24 people were shot, in Chicago last weekend, and JB Pritzker, the weak and pathetic Governor of Illinois, just said that he doesn’t need help in preventing CRIME. He is CRAZY!!! He better straighten it out, FAST, or we’re coming! MAGA. President DJT”
The federal surge into Chicago could start as early as Sept. 5 and last about 30 days, according to two U.S. officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss plans that had not been made public.
Unlike the recent federal takeover of policing in Washington, D.C., the Chicago operation is not expected to rely on the National Guard or military and is focused exclusively on immigration instead of being cast as part of a broad campaign against crime, the officials said.
The Great Lakes Naval Station in North Chicago is expected to serve as a central command post for National Guard operations. Activists recently marched to the naval base, carrying protest signs and crosses, to voice their concerns.
Chicago is home to a large immigrant population, and both the city and the state of Illinois have some of the country’s strongest rules against cooperating with federal immigration enforcement efforts. That has often put the city and state at odds with Trump ‘s mass deportation agenda.
The Chicago Police Department will be barred from helping federal authorities with civil immigration enforcement or any related patrols, traffic stops and checkpoints during the surge, according to an executive order signed by Mayor Brandon Johnson.
According to the Governor’s Office, murders in Chicago have declined more than 30% in the past year, and 50% since 2021, with robberies down 33% from 2024, and shootings down 36%.
However, according to the University of Chicago Crime Lab, violent crime remains 21% higher than the U.S. national average.
In Washington, D.C., approximately 2,000 troops were deployed on the street. According to the Metropolitan Police Department, in the first week the White House had control of the city’s police force, property crimes dropped 19% compared to the week before, and violent crime dropped by 17%.
Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem commented on the situation, suggesting that Governor Pritzker’s stance is more about ego than protection. “Seems like it’s more about Governor Pritzker’s ego now rather than actually protecting his people,” Noem said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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