TOI Correspondent from Washington: Urban America is sliding towards civil unrest amid an escalating rift between the Donald Trump administration and local officials in Democrat-run states and cities, with violent incidents in Portland and Chicago over the extent of federal intervention in immigration enforcement. In Chicago and its surrounding suburbs, federal operations conducted by the US immigration and customs enforcement (ICE) under the banner of “Operation Midway Blitz” have spurred confrontations with citizens and activist groups. The operation, which the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) claims has resulted in over 1,000 arrests of “criminal illegal aliens,” has been met with fierce resistance by community members who are accusing masked ICE agents of gestapo tactics.The suburb of Broadview, home to an ICE facility, has become an epicenter of turmoil. Federal agents have deployed chemical irritants, including tear gas and pepper balls, against crowds of protesters attempting to blockade entrance and exit points. There is little accounting of people – mostly minorities – being detained and “disappeared” by masked agents.On one recent occasion, federal officials reported that agents were “boxed in by 10 cars,” forcing them to fire defensive shots after vehicles allegedly rammed law enforcement. Liberal podcasts described it as chemical warfare by Trump’s gestapo while state leaders condemned the federal tactics as counterproductive and excessive. Illinois governor J B Pritzker accused the administration of “unprecedented escalations of aggression against Illinois citizens,” noting that federal agents’ use of chemical munitions near an elementary school had affected local operations. Meanwhile, in Portland, Oregon, the clash between federal and state authority culminated in a legal challenge over the deployment of the National Guard. Protests outside the city’s ICE processing center have been ongoing but, according to local police officials and court filings, had recently dwindled in size and intensity.Despite this, President Donald Trump ordered the federalization of 200 Oregon National Guard troops, citing “violent riots” and a “rebellion” against federal property. This move was immediately challenged in federal court by the state of Oregon, arguing that the action violated the state’s Tenth Amendment right to control its Guard forces.In a temporary victory for the state, a federal judge granted a temporary restraining order, blocking the troop deployment. The judge’s ruling noted that the administration’s claim that Portland was “war-ravaged” was “untethered to the facts,” and that the recent protests were too small and contained to constitute a statutory “rebellion.” The court concluded that local law enforcement remained capable of handling civil disorder.Federal officials indicated they would appeal the decision, maintaining that the facility and its personnel are under continuous threat from “violent opportunists” who have damaged property and assaulted agents. “There is a large and growing movement of leftwing terrorism in this country. It is well organized and funded. And it is shielded by far-left Democrat judges, prosecutors and attorneys general. The only remedy is to use legitimate state power to dismantle terrorism and terror networks,” Trump aide and anti-immigration czar Stephen Miller said. The dual crises in Chicago and Portland underscore the growing tensions across America, with anyone opposed to the MAGA dispensation described as “left-wing” “Antifa” “anti-national” etc. Dissenters and those associated with the previous Democratic administration who acted against MAGA principals are being singled out for “special” treatment that civil liberty activists say is clearly vindictive. Those who refuse to toe the Trump line, including in the military and law-enforcement are being eased out or fired. In one recent incident, a supervisory special agent was reportedly relieved of duty for refusing to participate in the plan to arrange a public “perp walk” aimed at humiliating former FBI chief James Comey before media cameras. Comey has been charged with making false statements to Congress and obstructing a congressional proceeding after President Donald Trump directly ordered the Attorney General act against him. Disquiet is also spreading through the U.S military following last week’s unloading on the armed forces by “Secretary of War” Pete Hegseth in a speech where he fat-shamed generals and asked dissenters to “do the honorable thing and resign.” At least one general, Thomas Bussiere, the head of Air Force Global Strike Command, has quit citing family and personal reasons, but former generals who are more open to speaking to the media say there is deep resentment and concern in the military over the Trump-Hegseth approach.
