Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Sunday teased the potential for further federal law enforcement intervention in Chicago and other Democratic-run cities nationwide following President Trump’s recent crime crackdown in Washington, D.C.
Noem added that her department plans to “add more resources” to its operations in Chicago when asked about forthcoming plans for the Windy City by Ed O’Keefe on CBS’s “Face the Nation.”
“We’ve already had ongoing operations with ICE in Chicago and throughout Illinois and other states, making sure that we’re upholding our laws. But we do intend to add more resources to those operations,” she said.
Her comments come as tensions have been building between Illinois officials and President Trump in recent days.
On Saturday, Trump warned Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) to get Chicago crime under control or be subjected to federal intervention.
“Six people were killed, and 24 people were shot, in Chicago last weekend, and JB Pritzker, the weak and pathetic Governor of Illinois, just said that he doesn’t need help in preventing CRIME,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. “He is CRAZY!!! He better straighten it out, FAST, or we’re coming! MAGA. President DJT.”
Also Saturday, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson (D) signed an executive order detailing how his city will attempt to respond to the Trump administration’s move to impose further control.
“The City of Chicago will do everything in our power to defend our democracy and protect our communities. With this executive order, we send a resounding message to the federal government: we do not need nor want an unconstitutional and illegal military occupation of our city,” Johnson said in a statement.
When pressed about potential federal action in cities beyond Chicago, Noem told O’Keefe that all options remain on the table.
“I think there’s a lot of cities that are dealing with crime and violence right now,” Noem said during the Sunday interview. “And so, we haven’t taken anything off the table. We’ve been making sure that we have the resources and the equipment to go in.”
Noem encouraged cities to “call us” and request help from the federal government in tackling crime “if they want to help make their city safer, more prosperous, allow people the opportunity to walk in freedom, like the people of Washington, D.C., are now.”
Trump and his administration have touted the crime crackdown in the nation’s capital, which began earlier this month, as a success story.
“DC is virtually, in just 14 days, a CRIME FREE ZONE. The people living and working there are ecstatic!!! President DJT,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Saturday.