President Donald Trump on Saturday indicated deportations would occur in Chicago during enhanced immigration enforcement operations slated to begin this weekend.
Trump posted a parody meme referencing the 1979 film “Apocalypse Now” on the social media platform Truth Social, saying, ‘”I love the smell of deportations in the morning…Chicago about to find out why it’s called the Department of WAR.'”
The dramatic meme shows Trump in front of the Chicago skyline with helicopters above, along with flames and a cloud of smoke. The president’s post referenced the “Department of War,” which was approved as a secondary title to the Department of Defense under an executive order he signed Friday.
Ramped-up federal immigration enforcement efforts were expected in Chicago as early as this weekend, with operations based at Naval Station Great Lakes in suburban North Chicago.
At least 300 federal agents may arrive at the naval base as part of the enhanced operations from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Patrol and the Department of Homeland Security, North Chicago Mayor Leon Rockingham Jr. said.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker responded to Trump’s social media post on X, writing, “The President of the United States is threatening to go to war with an American city.”
“…This is not a joke,” he said. “This is not normal. Donald Trump isn’t a strongman, he’s a scared man. Illinois won’t be intimidated by a wannabe dictator.”
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson also posted a response on X, saying, in part, Trump “wants to occupy our city and break our Constitution.”
“The President’s threats are beneath the honor of our nation, but the reality is that he wants to occupy our city and break our Constitution,” he stated. “We must defend our democracy from this authoritarianism by protecting each other and protecting Chicago from Donald Trump.”
Earlier this week, the governor confirmed federal agents would be coming to Chicago soon, citing a phone call his administration received from the federal government. Pritzker said agents could be fully assembled by Friday, with operations beginning Saturday. However, his office hadn’t received official communication from the White House.
Protests have taken place outside the naval base and near an ICE processing facility in west suburban Broadview, which the mayor said federal officials revealed would be used for a “large-scale” immigration enforcement campaign. The threat of accelerated federal enforcement has led Mexican Independence Day celebration organizers to be on high alert following reports their events could be targeted.
The President of the United States is threatening to go to war with an American city.
— Governor JB Pritzker (@GovPritzker) September 6, 2025
This is not a joke. This is not normal.
Donald Trump isn't a strongman, he's a scared man. Illinois won’t be intimidated by a wannabe dictator. pic.twitter.com/f87Zek7Cqb
Chicago’s popular El Grito fest was postponed over heightened concerns, while other events were still slated to take place.
Along with increased immigration enforcement, Trump previously said the National Guard would be deployed to Chicago to crack down on crime. But on Wednesday, he took a step back from talk of sending the National Guard to the city, saying Pritzker would have to ask for the assistance. The governor bluntly dismissed such an idea.
There is still a chance the president could pivot and attempt to send National Guard members to the city without a request from Pritzker, but Trump said that he wanted to wait for such a call to come.
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