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Kristi Noem, acting as President Trump's homeland security secretary, labeled Chicago as "a combat zone" on Sunday. This came following government officers shot a woman, while the governor of Illinois accused the administration of worsening the situation rather than resolving it.

Noem's Comments on Fox News

Speaking on Fox News on Sunday, Noem targeted the city’s mayor, Brandon Johnson. Johnson has publicly opposed of the Trump administration’s Ice raids and deployment of the national guard in Illinois, an action he called "unhinged and unhealthy".

"This is incorrect, penalties are necessary for that and for officials that stand up and knowingly lie about the situation on the ground," Noem stated. "Chicago is a war zone and he’s lying so that lawbreakers can go in there and destroy people’s lives."

Federal Action and Trump's Authorization

Noem’s remarks followed Trump’s authorization to send hundreds of personnel of the state guard to Chicago, with instructions to safeguard federal officers and facilities. The move happened just shortly after military personnel were sent to Washington, where the president federalized the city’s police force in what he described as a "crackdown" on crime, a strategy now reaching a string of other US cities. "We’re going to be doing Chicago probably next," Trump had said previously.

Noem's Justification of Government Actions

Noem defended the government's strategy, insisting on television that locals supported the federal involvement. "They understand that in areas we've entered we have increased freedom," she remarked. "Safety has improved, we have removed numerous offenders that are no longer roaming of Chicago, simply because we’ve been there."

Illinois Governor Governor Pritzker Replies

Speaking on CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday, the state's Democratic leader, Governor Pritzker, accused the administration of escalating the problem instead of resolving it. "They are the ones who are turning it into a battlefield," he said.

"They must leave of Chicago. Unless they concentrate on the worst of the worst, which is what the commander-in-chief promised they intend to do, they should depart immediately."

Federal Agents Incident Information

Federal officers on Saturday shot and injured a woman while firing at an individual who attempted to hit them. The woman who was shot was a US citizen and was carrying a firearm, DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said, adding that the woman was accused in a US Customs and Border Protection intelligence bulletin last week of revealing agents' private information.

Pritzker's Condemnation on Online Platform

Pritzker also condemned the action in a post on X on Saturday, stating: "The federal security agency gave me an ultimatum: call up your troops, or we will." He labeled the decision "completely unacceptable and against American values," and noted that it had been made "against our will".