Governor and Chicago Mayor Defy Trump After His Jail Threats

Trump attacks Illinois leaders

Pritzker and Johnson respond

Tension rises over ICE raids

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson pushed back strongly against U.S. President Donald Trump after he claimed that both “should be in jail.”

Pritzker posted on X that he would not “take a step back” in the face of what he described as an authoritarian move by the president, according to EFE.

“The president is calling for the arrest of elected officials who challenge his power. What’s next on the road to full-blown authoritarianism?” the governor wrote.

Just a day earlier, Pritzker had accused Trump of waging a “crusade against immigration” in Illinois driven by an “obsessive fixation” or even “madness.”

Pritzker Challenges President Trump Over ICE Raids in Illinois

#8Oct | The governor of Illinois and the mayor of Chicago say they will not back down against Trump https://t.co/ypumGJa9dk

— El Nacional (@ElNacionalWeb) October 8, 2025

Meanwhile, Mayor Brandon Johnson also responded via X, saying he’s “not going anywhere.”

“This isn’t the first time Trump has tried to unjustly arrest a Black man,” the Chicago mayor stated, emphasizing the racial and political undertones of the president’s remarks.

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Tensions escalated after Trump, through Truth Social, demanded the imprisonment of both Democratic officials, accusing them of failing to protect Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during recent operations in Illinois.

“The mayor of Chicago should be in jail for not protecting ICE agents. And so should Governor Pritzker!” Trump wrote on his social media platform.

Johnson Denounces Racial and Political Attacks

Trump Chicago governor mayor clash 2025 – Photo: EFE

The conflict comes amid Operation Midway Blitz, a month-long ICE enforcement campaign, which recently included 200 Texas National Guard troops stationed at a base near Chicago.

Additionally, 300 Illinois National Guard members have been placed on standby to support ICE agents and secure federal buildings in anticipation of protests against the immigration raids.

Local advocacy groups claim these operations have disproportionately affected Latino communities — including individuals with legal status.

Legal Battle Over ICE Operations Intensifies

So far, no large-scale military deployment has taken place in Chicago’s streets.

This Thursday, a federal judge in Illinois will review a motion seeking to temporarily restrict the deployment of National Guard troops, after declining earlier in the week to block the operation outright, citing the need for more evidence.

The Trump Chicago governor mayor clash 2025 highlights growing political polarization between federal and local authorities, as debates over immigration enforcement and civil rights continue to deepen across the Midwest.