The White House has requested that a military base on the outskirts of Chicago assist with immigration operations as part of a broader federal takeover of Democratic-run sanctuary cities. Naval Station Great Lakes confirmed that the Department of Homeland Security had sought “limited support in the form of facilities, infrastructure, and other logistical needs” to back its operations.
The request follows President Trump’s recent federal takeover of Washington DC, which involved deploying the National Guard and ramping up immigration raids. Speaking on Thursday, the president’s “border czar”, Tom Homan, indicated that operations would intensify in New York, Los Angeles, Portland and Seattle, cities that have declined to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
An email from the commanding officer of Naval Station Great Lakes, Captain Stephen Yargosz, seen by the Chicago Sun Times, said DHS, ICE and Customs and Border Protection officers were expected to be stationed at the base from 2 to 30 September. Yargosz noted that the operations would be similar to those carried out in Los Angeles earlier this summer, and that there was potential for support to National Guard units.
Illinois politicians have strongly criticised the plan. Senator Tammy Duckworth called it “yet another unwarranted, unwanted and unjust move straight out of the authoritarian’s playbook”, while Senator Dick Durbin said deploying the military to Chicago and disrupting operations at the naval base would be “both unhelpful and illegal”. Governor JB Pritzker said he had received no communication from the White House about any federal deployment.
Chicago has frequently been a target of President Trump’s criticism over crime, despite a recent fall in the city’s homicide rate. Mayor Brandon Johnson and Governor Pritzker have repeatedly defended the city’s record.
