A Chicago alderman on Monday slammed Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, both fellow Democrats, for refusing help from the Trump administration to tackle crime in the Windy City.
Pritzker and Johnson have strongly rejected President Donald Trump's suggestion of using the National Guard to crack down on crime in Chicago as he did in Washington.
Chicago has led the nation in homicides for 13 straight years, according to Wirepoints, a public policy research group. The city also ranks seventh among the top 20 U.S. cities in homicide rate with 28.7 per 100,000 people in 2025, according to The Global Statistics.
"I believe … that a lot of this has to do with politics and nothing to do with keeping communities safe," Alderman Raymond Lopez, who represents Chicago's 15th Ward, told "NewsNation," according to The Daily Caller. "If we are already decreasing our crime stats, why shouldn't we be pushing to decrease even more? Why shouldn't we make one less victim of violence in the city of Chicago?
"And I feel that the governor and the mayor are refusing to accept the president's help, both in terms of the National Guard as well as with additional federal agency support … because they don't want to be viewed as capitulating and working with the president … for their own political purposes."
Lopez's ward is a working-class community on the city's west side, encompassing neighborhoods such as Brighton Park, Gage Park, and Back of the Yards, known for its rich Hispanic heritage.
"One wants to be president, one hopes to remain mayor," Lopez said, referring to Pritzker and Johnson. "They think that their path to victory lies in standing up to Donald Trump. In the meantime, all of the 2.7 million people who make up the 77 communities of the city of Chicago are caught in the political crosshairs and are paying the price on the streets in the city of Chicago every single day."
Lopez also accused what he called the "Democratic elite" of "gaslighting" by arguing that Trump's deployment of the National Guard would be a threat to democracy in Illinois.
"They are here to catch bad guys. They're here to support our police officers, who, by the way, anxiously await [their] arrival. They would love to have some additional support.
"They would love to be able to have the FBI, ATF, and DEA work with our local police officers to help bring federal charges to those individuals who commit crimes in our neighborhoods," he said, referring to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Monday launched its anticipated federal crackdown on illegal immigration in Chicago with the start of Operation Midway Blitz.
The operation commenced in honor of Katie Abraham, who was killed in a hit-and-run crash. Julio Cucul-Bol, a Guatemalan in the U.S. illegally, faces charges of reckless homicide, aggravated DUI resulting in death, and leaving the scene of a personal injury crash.
"Everyone who believes in law and order, everyone who believes in public safety beyond the politics, is excited for what may happen in the coming weeks," Lopez said. "And it's a shame that it gets lost in translation with our extreme left Democratic colleagues."
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.