South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem Describes Chicago a 'Combat Area' After Federal Agents Shoot Woman

South Dakota's governor, who serves as Donald Trump's top security official, referred to Chicago as "a war zone" on Sunday. This came following government officers injured a female, while the governor of Illinois claimed the federal government of fueling the crisis instead of resolving it.

Noem's Comments on Fox News

During an appearance on a news channel on Sunday, Noem criticized the Chicago mayor, Brandon Johnson. Johnson has publicly opposed of the federal Ice raids and deployment of the state troops in Illinois, a measure he labeled "irrational and harmful".

"It’s wrong, there should be consequences for that and for leaders that stand up and deliberately mislead about the actual conditions," remarked. "His city is a war zone and he’s lying so that lawbreakers can enter and destroy people’s lives."

Government Deployment and Trump's Order

These comments followed the president's order to send 300 members of the Illinois national guard to Chicago, with instructions to safeguard government agents and property. This action occurred just weeks after military personnel were dispatched to Washington, where the commander-in-chief took control of the city’s police force in what he called a "crackdown" on crime, a pattern now extending to a string of other US cities. "We will address Chicago probably next," the president stated previously.

The Secretary's Justification of Government Actions

Noem defended the government's strategy, insisting on Fox that residents supported the federal involvement. "They understand that in areas we've entered we have increased freedom," she remarked. "People are much safer, we have got a thousand criminals that are no longer roaming of Chicago, just because we’ve been there."

State Leader JB Pritzker Responds

Appearing on CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday, the Democratic Illinois governor, JB Pritzker, accused the federal government of fueling the crisis instead of solving it. "It is they who are turning it into a battlefield," he stated.

"They need to get out of Chicago. Unless they concentrate on the most dangerous criminals, which is what the president said they are going to do, they should depart immediately."

Border Patrol Shooting Details

Federal officers on Saturday shot and injured a woman while firing at someone who tried to run them over. The woman who was shot was a American and was armed with a firearm, a government spokeswoman an official stated, noting that the woman was alleged in a federal agency intelligence bulletin last week of revealing agents' private information.

Pritzker's Condemnation on Social Media

Pritzker also condemned the deployment in a message on a social media site on Saturday, writing: "The Trump Administration’s Department of War presented a demand: call up your troops, or we will." Pritzker called the decision "absolutely outrageous and un-American," and noted that it had been made "against our will".

Crystal Johnston
Crystal Johnston

A seasoned remote work consultant and productivity expert, passionate about helping professionals excel in flexible work environments.