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Federal Intervention in Chicago: A Controversial Approach Amidst Declining Crime Rates
Chicago finds itself at the center of a contentious debate as the Trump administration pushes for federal intervention, citing unsubstantiated claims of rampant violent crime. Rather than addressing underlying issues like underfunded schools or poverty, the administration is engaged in a legal battle to deploy National Guard troops to the city streets. This move marks the latest in a series of federal shows of force in Democratic-led cities and further tests the limits of executive authority.
The deployment of federal agents has already sparked alarm within communities. On October 3, during a raid on a nearby grocery store, agents reportedly deployed tear gas canisters into an adjacent parking lot.
The resulting choking fog infiltrated an elementary school, Funston Elementary, where students were present. Maria Heavener, a first-grade teacher at the school, expressed her shock, stating that while she had heard rumors of ICE planning to detain unaccompanied minors, the use of chemical agents near schools was unimaginable.
Stacy Davis Gates, president of the Chicago Teachers Union, condemned these actions, telling The Intercept, “The smoke bombs that they dropped in front of school right at dismissal, the detainment of grown-ups after they drop off their children, or as they’re picking them up. All of that is violent.
All of that is traumatic.” She added that for many students, these experiences are unprecedented.
This situation follows President Trump’s authorization of “full force” in Portland after the “No Kings” protest.
Adding to the controversy, President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recently suggested using American cities as training grounds for the military, typically reserved for addressing foreign threats. They made vague references to an “invasion from within” that they claimed could warrant “overwhelming and punishing violence on the enemy,” allegedly referring to criminals and immigrants.
Despite the administration’s assertions, a WBEZ analysis revealed a starkly different reality for Chicago. The city experienced its fewest homicides this summer in 60 years, and overall violent crime is at its lowest point in at least four decades.
Nevertheless, masked and armored ICE and DHS agents, funded by the president’s July domestic spending bill, descended on Chicago communities last month. Reports include raids on a five-story apartment building in a predominantly Black neighborhood, where children were reportedly zip-tied and parents arrested. Agents also arrested a 15-year-old U.S. citizen this week after deploying tear gas in a crowded residential area.
Ms. Heavener described the emotional toll on her students following the October 3 incident.
“A lot of them were sad, worried, scared, nervous,” she shared. “Some of them said they’re scared because they don’t want their own family members to be taken away.”
She recounted one student experiencing a panic attack, lamenting, “It’s very scary because this is their normal.” Heavener emphasized the long-term psychological impact, stating, “This is going to take over their experiences and worldview, and it’s going to shape a lot for them, and it’s traumatic, and they’re all going to hold that in their bodies as they grow up.”
She added, “Generally, the societal norm is that children are sacred, and we take care of our children. Now it seems like they’re being targeted.”
The financial implications of these federal deployments are also raising eyebrows. The potential National Guard deployment to Chicago, if authorized, could cost an estimated $1.59 million per day, according to the National Priorities Project.
This figure dwarfs the operational budgets of entire school systems. The president’s July spending bill allocated an additional $29.9 billion to ICE’s budget, nearly tripling the Chicago public school system’s $10.25 billion operating budget.
Kathryn, an elementary school teacher who preferred not to share her last name due to fears of ICE targeting, told The Intercept, “Our school budget was slashed by two-thirds here.” She highlighted the stark contrast, noting that ICE is offering “$50,000 signing bonuses for people who are willing to kidnap other people,” while she is forced to tell her students, “Sorry, you can’t join the band right now because I don’t have enough instruments.”