For weeks, the Trump administration has threatened to send National Guard forces and federal agents into Chicago to curb violent crime. The idea faces strong resistance from Mayor Brandon Johnson, the Chicago Police Department, Governor J. B. Pritzker, and—according to Fox 32 News—two-thirds of Chicago voters.
Mayor Johnson has recently issued an executive order stating Chicago Police will not assist National Guard troops or federal agents without legal authority. The order also requires troops to wear uniforms, display identification, use body cameras, and avoid masks, ensuring they are distinguishable from police.
Beyond deploying troops, Mr. Trump’s strategy includes declaring “crime emergencies,” expanding prosecutions, and cracking down on homelessness, disorder, and drug use. These punitive measures notably ignore the root causes of violence, and Chicago does face persistent violence in some neighborhoods, but this problem is deeply historical and overwhelming research consistently links violence to poverty— poverty intensified by redlining, economic disinvestment, urban renewal, discriminatory policies, and weakened institutions.
Yet, the Trump administration has cut funding for proven solutions for dealing with crime and poverty. Community-based violence prevention, Housing First, summer youth employment, and targeted youth interventions programs have either been eliminated or severely cut by Congress and Mr. Trump. Even low-cost, evidence-based strategies like greening vacant lots, remediating abandoned buildings, and improving street lighting—are absent from the agenda. I guess not all ideas are on the table.
Instead of addressing root causes, the administration has chosen enforcement. If the Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., deployments are any indication, sending troops could cost around $2 million a day. Those funds would be far better spent on evidence-based initiatives and genuine collaboration. Let’s hope for the best.
I am Joseph Flynn, and that is my perspective. Chicago strong, no troops belong.
