Chicago takes center stage amid 'crime crackdown' debate

(NewsNation) — The Chicago Police Department responded to 12 shootings Saturday night into Sunday morning, amid a growing showdown between federal and local officials on how to handle crime in the city.

24 people were shot, three of which were killed, in the 12 different shootings, according to data from the Chicago Police Media Affairs site.

On Saturday, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an executive order in response to the Trump administration’s reported plans to deploy the National Guard locally and as federal authorities prepare for a crackdown on illegal immigration in his city. Johnson said his team had received credible reports that the city could see militarized activity by the federal government possibly within days, not weeks.

The order reaffirms that Chicago police answer to the mayor, not the federal government, as it bans police from working with federal agents on ICE operations, patrols or any other law enforcement activity. Largely seen as symbolic, the order also urges federal operatives to use body cameras and discourages them from wearing masks and emphasizes that city police will not participate in any federal enforcements.

In recent weeks, President Trump has stated he is weighing sending in the National Guard to Chicago, similar to the deployment in Los Angeles in June, when thousands of troops came in to quell unrests during protests after workplace ICE raids in the city.

On Thursday, White House border czar Tom Homan confirmed that the U.S. Naval Station Great Lakes, located near the Illinois-Wisconsin border, would be used as a hub for Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers ahead of a planned Chicago operation. Homan said federal agencies would also target New York City, Portland and other Democrat-led cities after Labor Day.

Homan said “a large contingent” of ICE officers would be sent to Chicago but would not confirm how many.

“We’re not going to tell you how many resources we’re sending to the city,” Homan said. “We don’t want the bad guys to know what we’re sending.”

Despite Trump administration officials stating this is not part of a broad campaign against crime, President Trump took to Truth Social on Saturday writing, “Six people were killed, and 24 people were shot, in Chicago last weekend...He better straighten it out, FAST, or we're coming!”

Governor of Illinois, JB Pritzker responded to Trump with his own social media post writing “Chicago doesn’t want you here.”

NewsNation spoke with Tio Hardiman, the founder of Violence Interrupters, a Chicago group focused on high level gang mediation and stopping retaliations.

Hardiman said communities where there is the most violence in Chicago, the south and west side of the city have been underdeveloped for decades and perhaps a Black National Guard could help bring down the crime. He added a majority of the killings in Chicago occur in Black communities and that more kids these neighborhoods are worried about being “street stars,” than football stars.

Hardiman told NewsNation it is time for Trump, Johnson and Pritzker to all sit down and figure out a way to fix crime in Chicago in a manner that works for everybody.