DHS requests military deployment to Illinois to protect ICE agents, Pritzker says

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The Department of Homeland Security is requesting that 100 military personnel be sent to Illinois, Gov. JB Pritzker said during a press conference on Monday afternoon.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a memo later Monday directing "all necessary officers" from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the FBI "to defend ICE facilities and personnel whenever and wherever they come under attack, including Portland and Chicago."

Bondi posted that memo to X after Pritzker said the Illinois National Guard received word on Monday afternoon that DHS sent a memo to the Department of War, seeking the deployment of 100 military troops to Illinois in an apparent effort to protect Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel and facilities.

This all comes after dozens of armed federal agents were seen walking around downtown Chicago, at times appearing to detain people, on Sunday. And agents in full tactical gear used a variety of chemical agents near the ICE facility in Broadview that evening.

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During Monday's press conference, Pritzker brought attention to those incidents.

"This is not about fighting crime or about public safety. This is about sowing fear and intimidation and division among Americans. It was about creating a pretext to send armed military troops into our communities. This is about consolidating power in Donald Trump's hands," Pritzker said.

He was joined by Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson and about a dozen other local leaders.

"The reality is that this stunt has nothing to do with public safety. This is about politics, money and power. The president is using his militarized force the exact way he intended to advance his political goals," Johnson said.

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Pritzker referenced about a dozen specific incidents while he spoke Monday, saying the federal agents who have descended upon the Chicago area are abusing their power, intimidating innocent civilians and harassing tourists. Johnson also weighed in.

"What we saw yesterday was absolute disgrace. Families, visitors everyday Chicago were out enjoying our city, and they were met with dozens of heavily armed federal agents aiming to strike fear in our communities," Johnson said.

Pritzker says targets of immigration enforcement are being picked up on the basis of what they look like.

SEE ALSO | Chicago federal intervention: Tracking surge in immigration enforcement operations | Live updates

"When they get someone who's a criminal and take them off the streets, fantastic. But this is not the way law enforcement ought to be allowed to operate," Pritzker said. "Just to stop someone because they're Black or Brown, to demand papers, ad if they don't have papers, to detain them and sometimes disappear them. I am outraged by what's happening."

Concern about discriminatory stops has been heightened after the U.S. Supreme Court lifted restrictions on roving patrols in Los Angeles. The court cleared the way for immigration agents to stop people based on race, language, job or location.

For now, legal experts ABC7 talked to say, that ruling only applies to that specific case in California.

Both Johnson and Pritzker specifically brought attention to the use of force by ICE in Broadview against protesters and journalists, as well.

But in her Monday evening memo, Bondi said the federal government's moves are warranted after the weekend's unrest at the Broadview ICE facility, where several protesters were arrested, and now face charges for allegedly assaulting federal officers.

"Enough is enough... Our officers will suppress all unlawful writing and rest every person suspected of threatening or assaulting a federal law enforcement officer or interfering with federal law enforcement operations," Bondi said.

The governor and the mayor also called out the show of force seen at Millennium Park, where agents appeared to detain a woman and multiple children. ABC7 blurred the children's faces in that video.

ABC7 spoke with one couple who is visiting Chicago from Florida. They had just checked into their hotel room on Sunday and were walking to Grant Park when they came across a group of federal agents wearing marked Border Patrol vests.

"We walk around the corner there and then just 20 uniformed, armed, right there on the sidewalk. I turned and I said, 'Oh, my God, I can't believe it,'" said Jack Thornton.

Others ABC7 spoke with said the presence of federal law enforcement is not necessary.

READ MORE | Legal experts weigh in on federal agents making random stops, what to do if it happens to you

"Who knows how far he's going to try to go with this. But it's not a good time. It's scary. It's a scary time for everyone in the country," said Patti Sunko-Imhof, who is visiting Chicago from Virginia.

"It's horrible. Why, you know? Why are you here, even? Why are you here? We don't need you here," said Kim Ziemianin, who lives in the suburbs. "They're harassing people. We have people in our community hiding, and it's terrible. They're just trying to feed their families and keep their families safe. They can't even go to the grocery store, without fear of being taken off the street."

Though, some locals think Pritzker is stoking the confrontation.

"I think his political rhetoric is not helping damper things down. I think he's throwing gasoline on the fire. And I wish he would just cooperate with the federal government, so they could do their job, get the situation under control. Then, they could leave," said Aaron Del Mar.

"Think that this is OKand we don't need help? I'm sorry, we need all the help in the world," said Chicago-area resident Martha Warrick.

And during an unrelated event on Monday, more elected leaders reacted to the ramped-up federal agent presence seen downtown.

"I, like many in Chicago, were quite shocked to see the videos of the Border Patrol boats on the Chicago River, the dozens of individuals walking up and down the streets, perhaps the most ironically, the young girl having to translate between the ICE agents and her family as they are interrogating them," said Ald. Ray Lopez said.

Lopez said he is not opposed to the city receiving help from the federal government, but believes those resources could better serve the city's South and Southwest sides.

SEE ALSO | Border Patrol agents chase after cyclist after he claims he's 'not a US citizen' in downtown Chicago

"I'm still in support of having additional federal law enforcement working with our Chicago Police Department to try to make our neighborhoods safe," Lopez said. "I believe that we can identify those individuals who we know are magnets of violence, whether they are citizens or not. And we should use our federal partners to the fullest."

Pritzker called this occupation of Chicago an unconstitutional political ploy by President Donald Trump.

"With one voice, we are telling this unwarranted and unconstitutional occupation by ICE, and potentially by military troops, to get out of Chicago. You are not helping us," Pritzker said.

Pritzker also vocalized a call to action to "the people of Illinois" to continue to use their cell phones to record and narrate what they see.