Mayor Johnson Pushes Back on Federal Aid as Chicago Pastor Says National Guard Is Needed 

Chicago Mayor Claims Trump's Actions Are a Federal Overreach

Johnson told Politico that his executive order was intended to make it clear who has the authority in Chicago, as well as "making a clear distinction about what our law enforcement engages in vs. what the federal government engages in. This president is not going to come in and deputize our police department."

The Department of Homeland Security contacted the Naval Station Great Lakes near Chicago requesting limited logistical support on Wednesday, according to WNG. In general, logistical support is typically administrative in nature, connected to tasks such as equipment maintenance, inventory, and reports, according to navy.com.

During a press conference over the weekend that included NBC News, Johnson said, "We find ourselves in a position where we must take immediate, drastic action to protect our people from federal overreach."

He went on to note the city's intent to block Trump's efforts regarding Chicago, including using "every single tool that is at our disposal, and that includes the courts."

Residents Speak Out about Chicago's Crime Problem

Residents of Chicago aren't necessarily in agreement with the Mayor that the city doesn't need help with the problem. When asked by an NBC Chicago reporter how she'd describe the crime in her neighborhood, Chicago resident Gale Hunter said, "Well, all I can tell you is it's not something I'm comfortable with. It needs to be addressed." 

She went on to note that there have been times when she has heard so many gunshots in her neighborhood that she wondered if she needed to get down on the floor. She also said she once witnessed someone running down the street, shooting at another person. 

Other Chicago residents would agree with her, saying that they don't see a reduction in crime and that Trump's action on crime rates is a good thing. 

In an interview with Fox News on Wednesday, Project Hood Founder Pastor Corey Brooks said that President Trump and the National Guard need to be invited in because there have been 254 deaths in 233 days, and 80 percent of them have been black boys.

"For anyone in our community to say that things are getting better and that people are safe, that is an outright lie," he said. 

Former Chicago police officer Alderman Anthony Napolitano told Fox News on Saturday that he worked for the city for 25 years, and, "in the last two years under our [city's] administration, we have 4286 people shot in the city. Those are ridiculous numbers that everybody should be embracing and saying, 'How do we make this better?'" 

He added that, "If our federal government and our president is willing to bring the National Guard here, whether it's the FBI, the DEA in the future, bring them! We need all the help we can get. The truth is, we have a crime problem here. It needs to be embraced, and it needs to be fixed."

WhiteHouse.gov has also published quotes from various Chicago residents who mention serious crime issues. Some areas are so bad that people will take an Uber if they need to go out at night and then take an Uber home.

Manipulated Crime Data in Chicago

 At a Friday press briefing, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked by a reporter what the White House will do to address the crime problem in Chicago.

"It is a priority of this administration to ensure that American cities are safe again," she said, adding that the statistics show a definite problem. 

"For 13 consecutive years, Chicago has had the most murders of any US City…for 7 consecutive years, Chicago has had the highest murder rate among US cities with more than one million people," and that, "just like D.C., Chicago has come under scrutiny over discrepancies in its homicide data reporting. So as bad as these numbers are, perhaps they are even worse."

To watch the complete briefing and get the full rundown on Chicago's crime problem, click here.

Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Scott Olson/Staff

Elizabeth Delaney has been a freelance content writer for over 20 years and has enjoyed having her prose published in both the non-fiction and fiction markets. She has written various types of content, including Christian articles, healthy lifestyle, blog posts, business topics, news articles, product descriptions, and some fiction. She is also a singer-songwriter-musician. When she is not busy with writing or music, she enjoys spending time with friends or family and doing fun social activities such as hiking, swing dancing, concerts, and other activities.