The political battle over crime, immigration, and federal power is heating up once again. As Donald Trump signals that he’s ready to send armed troops into major American cities, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has doubled down, promising more nationwide crackdowns.
The debate has put Washington at odds with several state governors, especially in Illinois, where violence in Chicago has become the flashpoint of the latest confrontation.
Kristi Noem Vows Nationwide Crackdowns
In a Sunday appearance on Face the Nation, Kristi Noem revealed that Homeland Security has “ongoing operations” across multiple states, including Illinois.
She described them as targeting “the worst of the worst”—criminals involved in murder, rape, and trafficking.
“We do intend to add more resources to those operations,” she said, though she declined to give specifics.
“We will continue to go after the worst of the worst across the country like President Trump has told us to do.”
Under her leadership, DHS is spearheading what officials are calling one of the largest deportation efforts in American history.
Chicago at the Center of the Clash
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker pushed back hard against Trump’s plan, warning that sending National Guard troops into Chicago would amount to an “invasion.”
His comments came after yet another bloody weekend in the city, where six people were killed and two dozen wounded in shootings.
Trump, who has repeatedly criticized Pritzker’s handling of crime, lashed out again on Truth Social.
“JB Pritzker, the weak and pathetic Governor of Illinois, just said that he doesn’t need help in preventing CRIME,” Trump wrote.
“He is CRAZY!!! He better straighten it out, FAST, or we’re coming! MAGA.”
Pritzker Accuses Trump of Power Grab
In his own appearance on Face the Nation, Pritzker suggested that Trump’s focus on Chicago and other cities has little to do with crime.
Instead, he accused the president of trying to consolidate power ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
“It’s clear that, in secret, they’re planning this—well, it’s an invasion with U.S. troops, if they, in fact, do that,” Pritzker said.
“The other aims are that he’d like to stop the elections in 2026, or frankly take control of those elections.”
Trump’s Expanding Crime Crackdown
Earlier this month, Trump deployed 2,000 National Guard troops and federalized police forces in Washington, DC.
He later celebrated the effort online, declaring that in just 14 days, the capital had become “virtually a CRIME FREE ZONE.”
According to the FBI, more than 1,000 arrests have been made in DC, nearly half of them involving undocumented immigrants.
The president has also sent federal agents and National Guard forces into Los Angeles to suppress anti-ICE protests without approval from California Governor Gavin Newsom.
What Cities Could Be Next?
Along with Chicago, Trump has floated the idea of deploying federal troops into other cities, including New York, Baltimore, and Oakland.
His strategy of pairing mass deportations with crime crackdowns appears set to become a defining feature of his presidency as the nation heads toward another election year.
