Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois governor JB Pritzker have sharply rebuked US President Donald Trump after he called for both leaders to be jailed for allegedly failing to protect federal immigration officers. The two Democrats responded on X, accusing Trump of authoritarian behavior and racially charged targeting.“This is not the first time Trump has tried to have a Black man unjustly arrested. I’m not going anywhere,” Johnson wrote, in direct response to Trump’s Truth Social post that said: “Chicago Mayor should be in jail for failing to protect ICE Officers! Governor Pritzker also!”Governor Pritzker echoed similar concerns, calling Trump’s remarks a sign of rising authoritarianism. “I will not back down. Trump is now calling for the arrest of elected representatives checking his power. What else is left on the path to full-blown authoritarianism?” he wrote.Pritzker in a series of post on went on to accuse Trump of deploying federal forces in Democratic states to instill fear, adding: “His masked agents already are grabbing people off the street. Separating children from their parents. Creating fear.”Democratic officials have repeatedly accused Trump of using the immigration authorities (ICE) to instill fear and create panic in Democrat led cities and states, in order to use it as a pretext to deploy national guards in the name of maintaining law and order.The governor went on to accuse Trump of creating a situation where everyone needs to carry citizenship papers and of invading his state (Illinois) with military force. “Making people feel they need to carry citizenship papers. Invading our state with military troops. Sending in war helicopters in the middle of the night. Arresting elected officials asking questions,” Pritzker added. Both leaders have opposed Trump’s immigration and security policies, including his push to use national guard troops in Democratic cities. Johnson recently signed an executive order designating Chicago as an “ICE Free Zone,” barring immigration enforcement from using city resources – a move that may have prompted Trump’s remarks.Federal judges have so far allowed the troop deployments to proceed in Illinois, while blocking them in other states like Portland, Oregon. Trump has suggested invoking the Insurrection Act if necessary.
