Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker on Monday blasted the Trump administration for orchestrating a “military-style raid” in Chicago last week, making the argument that the Trump administration uses military assets as “political props.”
The governor pointed to an ICE raid in the South Shore neighborhood of Chicago, where Black Hawk helicopters and swarms of federal agents in full tactical gear descended on an apartment building.
“In the dead of night and seemingly for the cameras, armed federal agents emerged from the Black Hawk helicopters rappelling onto the roof of that apartment building,” Pritzker said during a news conference, claiming the operation was filmed with high-definition cameras and later posted on social media by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
The governor tied the raid to what he described as a broader strategy by the Trump administration to “cause chaos, create fear and confusion, make it seem like peaceful protesters are a mob by firing gas pellets and tear gas canisters at them.”
Pritzker delivered the comments hours after his state and the city of Chicago filed a lawsuit to block the deployment of federalized National Guard troops. The governor alleged during the news conference that the Trump administration’s strategy is meant to “create the pretext” for sending troops to the city.
The Department of Homeland Security issued a statement disputing Pritzker’s claims, accusing him of spreading “hateful rhetoric” and failing to protect law enforcement in Chicago.
“President Trump has the authority under the Constitution to deploy troops, wherever they’re stationed, to defend federal facilities from attacks,” the DHS said.