US DHS looking to buy more property in Chicago for Trump law enforcement
efforts
[October 10, 2025]
By Greg Bishop | The Center Square
(The Center Square) – The federal government is looking into buying more
property in Chicago to continue conducting federal law enforcement
efforts.
Members of the Illinois and Texas National Guard have been mobilized for
the next two months in Illinois. This follows clashes between protesters
and federal agents, including suspects using vehicles to ram federal
agents vehicles. The guard is operating with the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security as the lead agency.
The state of Illinois sued the Trump administration Monday. A motion for
a temporary restraining order is pending a judge’s order Thursday
midday.
After an unrelated event Thursday morning in Chicago, Gov. J.B. Pritzker
criticized the use of the National Guard as an overreach. He blamed
federal agents for clashes between protesters and law enforcement.
“In my view their using as pretext the … choices that [Immigration and
Customs Enforcement] and [Customs and Border Patrol] are making on the
ground, the things they're doing on the ground, in order to cause
problems on the ground that could end up being an issue of disorder and
then they … make it look legal to send in troops, they say it’s about
protecting the facility, they say it’s about protecting ICE agents,
officers.”
Pritzker’s comments came simultaneously as President Donald Trump was
having a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington D.C.
“We stop crime and they allow crime. They want crime. It doesn't make
sense,” Trump said Thursday when talking about Chicago. “We stop it and
they actually incite it. It's crazy.”
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said the government is buying more buildings
in Chicago to conduct their activities.
“What they are trying to do with these riots and violence is they’re
trying to distract us” from going after suspects, Noem said.
Noem said they plan to see crime numbers drop in Chicago with continued
DHS activities.
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President Donald Trump raises his fist while boarding Air Force One
at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland before departing for New York,
Sept. 7, 2025. Photo: Daniel Torok / Official White House Photo via
Flickr / United States Government Work
“If we have to do the hard way in Portland and Chicago, we will,”
Noem said.
Pritzker said Trump’s use of the National Guard to protect federal
assets enforcing federal law doesn’t make sense as Trump has said
his efforts are to reduce crime.
“He wants everybody to think he’s bringing down crime. He’s doing
nothing of the sort,” Pritzker said. “He’s cutting funds from crime
prevention.”
Pritzker said using the National Guard is “a huge mistake.”
“The government doesn’t want it there, but we do,” U.S. Attorney
General Pam Bondi said, noting the pending litigation being
discussed in federal court in Chicago during the White House cabinet
meeting.
“The people want it,” Trump said of his public safety efforts.
Without naming names, Pritzker said some Republicans have privately
raised concerns.
“And how it is we can protect, because remember, even in these
Republican districts, these federal agents are disrupting things and
causing real havoc,” Pritzker said.
Pritzker asked what if the tables were turned if this happened with
a Democratic president and a Republican state.
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