According to the White House Deputy Press Secretary, National Guard forces will be deployed in Chicago to protect federal employees and property. The city is experiencing clashes with U.S. Border Patrol officers.
U.S. President Donald Trump has authorized the deployment of 300 National Guard soldiers to Chicago, Illinois. This was announced on Saturday, October 4, by White House Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson.
According to her, this is being done to protect federal employees and property. "President Trump will not look away from the lawlessness that is ravaging American cities," Jackson stated.
As noted by AFP, Trump issued the corresponding order after several weeks of threats to do so and despite objections from local politicians.
DHS Chief: Reinforcements Are on the Way
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristjen Nielsen previously wrote on social media platform X that law enforcement officers in Chicago "were attacked - they were rammed and blocked (their advance - Ed.) by ten vehicles, - one of which had an assailant armed with a semi-automatic weapon."
According to Nielsen, she is sending additional special forces "to control the situation." "Reinforcements are on the way," the secretary stated.
Clashes with U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers
As reported by Reuters on October 4, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers earlier shot a woman armed in Chicago after dozens of protesters clashed with federal agents in the southwest part of the city.
No law enforcement officers sustained serious bodily injuries. The woman, a U.S. citizen whose identity has not been disclosed, drove herself to the hospital. Information about her health condition is currently unavailable. Agents used pepper spray and rubber bullets during fierce clashes with demonstrators, Reuters writes.
ICE Activities and Protests Against It
Since Donald Trump's return to the White House in February, immigration policy in the U.S. has been sharply tightened. In June, raids conducted by ICE in San Francisco sparked mass protests that escalated into riots. In response, Trump sent hundreds of National Guardsmen and Marines to California, which provoked protests from state authorities.
Demonstrations against ICE's actions also took place in other U.S. cities, including New York, Austin (the capital of Texas), and Dallas. In New York, a rally under the slogan "Bring Them Back" (referring to deportable migrants) took place in the lobby of Trump Tower, owned by Trump.
Previously, troops were mobilized by Trump's decision in Los Angeles and Washington, against the wishes of local Democratic leadership.
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