Durbin, Duckworth, Ramirez, IL Delegation Members Demand Trump Stop The Politically Motivated, Unlawful Deployment Of Military Personnel In Chicago

Durbin, Duckworth, Ramirez, IL Delegation Members Demand Trump Stop The Politically Motivated, Unlawful Deployment Of Military Personnel In Chicago

CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Congresswoman Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03) in a letter with 10 Members of Congress from the Illinois delegation to demand that President Donald Trump and the Pentagon suspend plans for the deployment of military personnel to Chicago. The letter comes as the Administration reportedly prepares to use the Naval Station Great Lakes to deploy federal agents and military personnel in Chicago.

The Members of Congress are calling for President Trump to cease what they call an unlawful power grab and Executive Branch overreach.

"The deployment of the U.S. military into American cities is not about safety or security. It is about control. It is about abusing the power of the Executive Branch and threatening Democratic-led cities and states that dare to openly oppose your authoritarianism," wrote the Members of Congress.

The Administration has justified the deployment of military personnel in democratic cities as a way to crack down on crime. Chicago's rate of violent crime has fallen 22% this year to date; homicides are down more than 33% and shootings are down 38%.

"Let us be clear: there is no emergency in Chicago that warrants the President of the United States deploying the military," continued the Members of Congress. "While your Administration manufactures a crisis to abuse this nation's military power, the work of meeting the needs of our communities is neglected. Your Administration should restore community violence intervention grants, lower the costs of everyday goods impacted by tariffs and stop cutting Medicaid and SNAP, which take away health care and take food off the tables of everyday Americans."

In the letter, the Members of Congress also questioned the effectiveness of deploying military personnel as wasteful, because it "dangerously degrades military readiness, erodes servicemember morale, and undermines public confidence in a professional and apolitical U.S. Armed Forces."

The letter is signed by U.S. Representatives Sean Casten (IL-06), Danny Davis (IL-07), Bill Foster (IL-14), Jesús "Chuy" García (IL-04), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Robin Kelly (IL-02), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), and Lauren Underwood (IL-14).

To read the full letter, click here.

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