The Trump Administration’s Illegal, Anti-American Assault on Chicago and Illinois
The Trump administration has announced plans to illegally deploy federal troops in Chicago to fight crime and increase the number of masked anti-immigration present at a time when our community and faith leaders, business leaders and philanthropists, as well as city and state officials are working hard and working together to reduce crime and welcome legal immigrants.
The Illinois Peace Project has created this site as a resource for individuals and organizations challenging this illegal assault on our values and our quality of life. Below you can find links to information on public safety and immigrant rights.
Public Safety
Chicago is currently on track to have the lowest number of homicides in 60 years and crime is falling across almost every category. Thanks to a partnership of philanthropy, business, government and community, Chicago has built one of the most robust Community Violence Intervention (CVI) sectors in the country. Meanwhile, the Chicago Police Department is steadily rebuilding trust with our communities and taking a much more focused, data-driven approach. As a result, both crime and the number of arrests are way down since the pandemic.
The President’s threats to deploy the National Guard in Chicago will undermine all of these efforts.
We encourage the administration, instead:
- Restore CVI grants cut earlier this year
- Maintain consent decrees driving needed police reforms
- Support gun safety laws (i.e. background checks) that even gun owners overwhelmingly support
- Address the economic inequality at the root of so much of the crime and violence
Immigrant Rights
Chicago is a sanctuary city – welcoming people from across the world. They come here to work, raise families, and pursue the American Dream. They are America.
Chicago and Illinois are pursuing every possible strategy to block Trump’s illegal and immoral immigrant detention and deportation policies. Faith and community-based organizations, alongside state and local government, are all partnering to protect legal immigrants.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker:
"Mr. President, do not come to Chicago. You are neither wanted here nor needed here."
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson:
"Unlawfully deploying the National Guard to Chicago has the potential to inflame tensions between residents and law enforcement when we know that trust between police and residents is foundational to building safer communities."
U.S. Senator Dick Durbin:
"This is an act of political theater by Donald Trump, and sadly, we have to take it extremely seriously. This is how democracies die."
U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth:
"This is just another attempt to distract the American people from price increases his own policies are causing and various personal scandals…It will undermine our military’s readiness and ultimately weaken our national security."