CHICAGO – Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said he is prepared to take President Donald Trump to court if the White House follows through on threats to send National Guard troops and ICE agents to Chicago.
What we know:
The governor spoke Thursday afternoon, three days after Trump said he would deploy the Guard as part of his crime crackdown initiative.
Pritzker said he has not received official confirmation, but has heard the Guard could be fully assembled in Chicago by Friday and begin operations as soon as early Saturday morning.
“We’re going to immediately go to court,” Pritzker said. “If National Guard or other military troops are sent to, deployed to the city of Chicago, immediately go to court. So that’s going to be our first line of defense is getting a court to issue a TRO (temporary restraining order) or other injunction against that activity.”
Trump first made the threat Tuesday, but did not provide a timeline.
“We’re going to do it anyway. We have the right to do it because I have an obligation to protect this country,” Trump said.
Pritzker acknowledged that state law does not override federal law, but he said he will pursue every available legal option.
“There is no way for me to override, state law does not override federal law. So we have to abide by the law. We do that in the state of Illinois… unlike the President of the United States,” Pritzker said. “We’re going to do everything we can to alleviate the challenge on the people of Chicago… but (Trump) has the ability to call in other outside agents and does not have a legal right to call in military troops.”
Pritzker has previously warned that a federal deployment could resemble those in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., where armed agents and military vehicles lined city streets.
Reports have also surfaced of an increased presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in the Chicago area.
Concerns over federal enforcement have already had ripple effects. Organizers of the largest Mexican Independence Day parade and festival in north suburban Waukegan announced Wednesday the event, originally scheduled for Sept. 14, would be postponed until November.
RELATED: Suburban Mexican Independence Day parade postponed amid ICE, Guard concerns
What you can do:
Pritzker is urging Chicagoans to “know their rights,” remain vigilant and document everything in case federal troops or ICE agents are deployed here.
“I’m telling people to know your rights, be extra careful and know that there is the possibility that ICe will be on the ground and causing some mayhem. Don’t play into their hand and if you have the opportunity, please, protest, pull out your phone, video everything they’re doing… and make sure that the media sees it,” Pritzker said.
What we don’t know:
It remains unclear if or when National Guard troops or ICE agents will arrive in the Chicago area.
The Source: The information in this article was provided by Gov. JB Pritzker, President Donald Trump and previous FOX 32 reports.
