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US President Donald Trump was reportedly planning to send 150 federal law enforcement officers to Chicago. The move came in spite of criticism over his threats to send agents nationwide to crush protests after unidentified officials were seen detaining activists in Portland. On Monday, President Trump was speaking to reporters at the White House. He also celebrated how federal agents did an amazing job responding to demonstrations in Oregon. He insisted he would order more agents to cities including Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, Baltimore, Oakland, and New York City. The agents were comprised of US Marshals Services, Customs and Border Protection, and Homeland Security Investigations. Point to be noted that Trump signed an executive order to send the federal agents to cities nationwide.

President Trump’s move was a part of an effort to crack down on the toppling of monuments and statues on federal grounds. He said, “We’re sending law enforcement. We can’t let this happen to the cities”. The Chicago Tribune also reported that 150 agents linked to the Homeland Security Investigations and other federal units would be sent to assist the Chicago police department during a spike in citywide violence. Local officials have decried the orders, including Mayor Lori Lightfoot, and issued a statement, “We don’t need federal agents without any insignia taking people off the streets and holding them, I think, unlawfully”. She also called on the federal government to increase funding for prosecutors and provide more resources to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

The mayor Lightfoot later joined The ReidOut of MSNBC with host Joy Reid and pledged to prevent Trump’s tyranny from taking over her city. The Chicago Police Department also issued a statement on Monday, it says, “It doesn’t maintain any authority over the federal government’s deployment of federal law enforcement agents” throughout the city. We regularly work alongside our local and federal law enforcement agency partners toward the common goal of keeping Chicago residents safe. If federal agents are deployed, it is critical that they coordinate with the Chicago Police Department and work alongside us to fight violent crime in Chicago”. Joe Biden also said, “I’m going to do something that I can tell you because we’re not going to leave New York and Chicago and Philadelphia, Detroit and Baltimore, and all of these”.