Chicago Coalition Condemns Trump’s Deployment of Federal Troops (Chicago, IL) – The Hands Off Chicago Coalition, a network of advocacy and community groups, sharply criticized President Donald Trump’s decision to deploy federal troops and National Guard members to Chicago, calling the move an authoritarian overreach that threatens immigrant communities and peaceful protesters.
The deployment follows weeks of heightened tensions surrounding federal immigration enforcement. Coalition members accused ICE and federal agents of targeting immigrants without criminal histories, detaining families, and using force against demonstrators and journalists.
“The scenes coming out of our communities in recent weeks are a stain on our nation’s history,” the coalition said in a statement Saturday. “Peaceful protestors and press shot with tear gas and pepper bullets for no reason other than the nonviolent expression of their constitutional rights… all while the president explicitly and gleefully targets Chicago and other American cities as ‘training grounds’ for our armed forces.”
The coalition warned that the federalization of Illinois National Guard troops could escalate violence, arguing that no emergency exists to justify a military presence in the city.
Community leaders pledged to continue protesting what they describe as a military occupation, urging state and local officials to do more to safeguard residents.
“Chicago does not want and does not need troops or ICE in our region,” the coalition said, citing polling that shows a majority of city residents oppose Trump’s actions.
The group vowed to remain united against the federal deployment. “Chicago is united, and in that solidarity we will find the strength to fight back and defeat the Trump regime,” the statement concluded.
Chicago Coalition Condemns Trump’s Deployment of Federal Troops
