Trump Says Chicago Is Next in Crime Crackdown
Chicago Crime Trends and Trump’s Proposed National Guard Deployment
Violent crime in teh United States experienced a significant surge in 2020, coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic. Chicago saw a dramatic increase in gun violence, with fatal and nonfatal shootings rising approximately 55% between 2019 and 2020, according to city data. While shootings increased again in 2021 (by 9%), they later decreased by nearly 21% in 2022.
Historically, Chicago also witnessed a spike in violent crime prior to 2020. Between 2015 and 2016, homicides jumped 58% and nonfatal shootings increased by 43%, as detailed in a report by the University of Chicago Crime Lab.
More recently, crime rates in Chicago have been trending downward. City police data indicates a 15% decrease in overall crime since 2023. Further, data from the city shows that fatal and nonfatal shootings are down nearly 38% so far in 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. Homicides and robberies have both decreased by roughly 32%, and vehicular hijackings are down approximately 49%.
Trump’s Response and Federal Intervention
Former President Trump recently discussed the issue of crime, following his decision to federalize the D.C.police department and deploy National Guard troops on august 11th, citing violent crime. This action occurred despite data indicating that violent crime in Washington D.C., like Chicago, was already declining significantly. During the declaration, Trump stated his intention to consider similar actions in othre cities, including Chicago, Los Angeles, New york, Baltimore, and Oakland.
Trump invoked a provision of the D.C.Home Rule Act of 1973, which allows the President to assume control of D.C.’s police department during emergencies.However, legal experts told TIME that the President’s authority to control local police departments and deploy National Guard troops to cities beyond D.C. is legally limited.
Chicago Mayor Johnson’s Response
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson strongly criticized Trump’s comments. In a press release, Johnson highlighted the city’s “historic progress” in addressing crime, citing recent statistical improvements. He argued that deploying the National Guard to Chicago could jeopardize these gains.
Johnson stated that while the city is taking Trump’s statements seriously, they have not received any official dialog from the federal government regarding potential deployment. he further emphasized that “The problem with the President’s approach is that it is uncoordinated, uncalled for, and unsound,” adding that “Unlawfully deploying the National Guard to Chicago has the potential to inflame tensions between residents and law enforcement when we know that trust between police and residents is foundational to building safer communities.”