Quigley Statement on Trump’s Plans to Send Military to Chicago

Today, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05) released the following statement on reports that Donald Trump plans to deploy the U.S. military to Chicago:

“There is nothing more important to me than the safety and security of my constituents. The city of Chicago does not want or need the military deployed to our streets. This is a gross overreach by a President who wants to cosplay as tough by bullying his own citizens. I support real solutions to crime and homelessness—programs that provide funding to our police, violence interrupters, and drug intervention. I’ve worked hard to support these initiatives, and I’m always ready to work across the aisle to improve them. Unfortunately, Donald Trump is more interested in cutting these programs and political theater than he is in working toward real solutions.

“Trump’s talk about ‘law and order’ is a smokescreen for yet another power grab on his quest to become a dictator. Trump has abused his power to militarize DC, rewrite history in our museums, and accuse his enemies of vast conspiracies. Threatening Chicago is just his latest move toward autocracy.

“Chicagoans will not be intimidated by a thug. The moment Trump deploys troops, Chicago should take a page out of California’s playbook and sue. I will do everything I can to work with our local and state government to protect my constituents.”