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Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling said Thursday communication will be key to keeping the peace if and when President Donald Trump sends the National Guard to patrol the streets of Chicago, but the top cop hasn\u2019t used his department\u2019s close relationship with the feds to learn their intentions in advance.<\/p>\n
During a virtual briefing that included Mayor Brandon Johnson<\/a> and members of his senior leadership team, Snelling also stressed that his officers won\u2019t assist U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents who attempt to conduct raids, nor will Chicago cops ask for the immigration status of crime victims or anyone seeking help.<\/p>\n Instead of dispatching \u201cour officers alone\u201d to respond to reports of immigration enforcement, police supervisors will be dispatched to the scene of ICE enforcement actions to \u201cassess the situation,\u201d the superintendent said.<\/p>\n If the supervisors determine that it\u2019s \u201conly immigration enforcement,\u201d Snelling said, Chicago cops will \u201cnot be in those areas assisting in any way.\u201d But they won\u2019t be \u201cobstructing federal agents\u201d either, Snelling added.<\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t want people to fear the Chicago Police Department and we don\u2019t want them to live being a victim of any type of crime or need emergency assistance and not get it because they\u2019re afraid of calling 911,\u201d the superintendent told reporters. \u201cWe don\u2019t care about your status at this point. What we want to make sure is that we can get there and provide help.\u201d<\/p>\n National Guard members patrolling the streets of Washington, D.C. have reportedly been asked to clear out homeless encampments in the nation\u2019s capital and possibly even take people who are unhoused into custody.<\/p>\n That won\u2019t happen here \u2014 at least not with the city\u2019s help, according to Chief Homelessness Officer Sendy Soto.<\/p>\n \u201cThe city of Chicago will work with any homeless encampment that is within our purview. If they are in public spaces, particularly at public parks, we are also supporting the park district to ensure that we can provide \u2026 wraparound services to as many people as we can if they are in that moment,\u201d Soto said.<\/p>\n \u201cBut in terms of arrest or clearing encampments along with federal agents, we will not be doing that.\u201d<\/p>\n Chicago has long been one of Trump\u2019s favorite and most frequent political targets \u2014 even though he chose the city to build his 96-story Trump International Hotel & Tower along the Chicago River with a 2,891-square foot sign bearing his name.<\/p>\n On the day he seized control over the D.C. police department and ordered the National Guard to patrol the streets of the nation\u2019s capital, Trump warned that Chicago would be next.<\/p>\n The president has repeated the threat in recent days, even as he suggested that it might be better to wait for Johnson and Gov. JB Pritzker to ask for federal help.<\/p>\n Earlier this week, Pritzker orchestrated a riverfront news conference<\/a> to condemn the president\u2019s threat to, as he put it, \u201cinvade\u201d Chicago.<\/p>\n Pritzker arrived in a river taxi and joined political, civic, community and business leaders gathered along the Chicago River on a summer afternoon to showcase a city that, they claimed, is doing just fine without federal help.<\/p>\n Flanked by elected officials and supporters, Gov. JB Pritzker speaks during a news conference Aug. 25 at River Point Park, and discusses the prospect of President Donald Trump sending National Guard troops to Chicago.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The governor acknowledged that there is nothing he can do in advance to prevent the \u201cunconstitutional\u201d intrusion. But he vowed to do everything legally possible to stop it after the fact.<\/p>\nChicago a favorite Trump target<\/h3>\n