TOPLINE
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot sought to assuage fears that federal agents would descend on Chicago in a “Portland-style” crackdown on protesters, saying Tuesday that they will provide additional resources to suppress a recent spike in gun violence.
File-In this April 10, 2020 file photo Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot speaks during a news conference ... [+]
KEY FACTS
Several media reports indicated Monday that the Department of Homeland Security plans to deploy around 150 federal agents to Chicago this week, stoking fears of a repeat of recent events in Portland, where officers without name tags in military garb have detained protesters without explanation and used aggressive tactics to quell protests.
In response to media reports about the impending deployment, Illinois Democrats including Sen. Tammy Duckworth, Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia and Gov. J.B. Pritzker spoke out against having federal forces in the city handle protests.
But Lightfoot said, to her knowledge, the Trump administration would instead send FBI, ATF and DEA agents to help “plug in to the existing federal agencies that we work with on a regular basis to help manage and suppress violent crime.”
Lightfoot said she welcomes the partnership, adding that Chicago-based U.S. Attorney John Lausch was in the loop and coordinating resources—but said she is not naive and would “not welcome dictatorship.”
DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Forbes asking for more details about what exactly agents will be tasked with doing in their respective agencies in Chicago.
Crucial quote
"What I understand at this point, and I caveat that, is that the Trump administration is not going to foolishly deploy unnamed agents to the streets of Chicago," Lightfoot said. "We have information that allows us to say, at least at this point, that we don’t see a Portland-style deployment coming to Chicago."
key background
Chicago has experienced one of its most violent years in recent history, with homicides up 48% through July 12 and shootings up by 46% from the same period last year. The city is frequently used by conservatives as a poster child for the need for tougher policing, while others call on the city to address underlying issues in high-crime neighborhoods, such as poverty, drug addiction and mental illness. Lightfoot has previously expressed support for increased federal assistance for Chicago to deal with the violence.
news peg
Earlier this month, Trump signed an executive order to deploy more federal resources to protect monuments and federal properties. Trump and DHS Secretary Chad Wolf have defended the use of DHS agents in Portland, pointing to graffiti, property damage and projectiles lobbed at officers as evidence these cities are under siege and need federal enforcement.
“I’m going to do something — that, I can tell you,” Mr. Trump told reporters Monday. “Because we’re not going to let New York and Chicago and Philadelphia and Detroit and Baltimore and all of these — Oakland is a mess. We’re not going to let this happen in our country. All run by liberal Democrats.”
