Chicago City Wire

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on the social media platform X that it has accused Illinois Governor JB Pritzker of aiding violent criminals. The agency supports deploying the National Guard to protect federal assets and personnel amid riots in Chicago.

According to DHS, "JB Pritzker is aiding and abetting violent criminals," referring to unrest where officers were assaulted and doxed by rioters. The post said that President Trump was "using his lawful authority" to deploy the National Guard to safeguard federal property and staff in Chicago. The statement framed this action as an assertion of federal law and order in response to what DHS described as local government inaction.

The White House Presidential Memorandum titled "Department of War Security for the Protection of Federal Personnel and Property in Illinois" directed National Guard units to operate under Title 32. This directive aimed to defend Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Federal Protective Service (FPS), and other federal facilities following escalating attacks on officers and property. The memorandum cited threats and acts of violence by organized groups intending to disrupt federal law enforcement in the state, emphasizing that National Guard deployment was necessary to "restore order and protect the lives of federal employees."

PBS NewsHour reported that National Guard troops were deployed to reinforce federal sites in Chicago as part of a limited mission. Their role is to protect government facilities and personnel from violent riots, serving in protective and logistical capacities rather than general policing roles. This deployment is part of a federal coordination effort led by DHS and the Department of Defense, mirroring similar actions taken in other cities amid nationwide unrest.

According to the official DHS mission overview, the department was established in 2002 with responsibilities including safeguarding the United States from terrorism, managing border and immigration enforcement, protecting critical infrastructure, and responding to national emergencies. It operates through major agencies such as ICE, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Secret Service, and Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). Collectively, these agencies employ over 260,000 personnel across the country. DHS routinely leads federal coordination efforts involving asset protection, infrastructure security, and law enforcement during periods of civil unrest or national threat.