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South Dakota's governor, acting as Donald Trump's homeland security secretary, referred to Chicago as "a war zone" on Sunday. This came after federal agents shot a woman, while the governor of Illinois claimed the administration of worsening the crisis rather than resolving it.

Noem's Appearance on Fox News

Speaking on Fox News Sunday morning, Noem criticized the city’s mayor, Brandon Johnson. The mayor has publicly opposed of the Trump administration’s Ice raids and deployment of the state troops in Illinois, a measure he called "irrational and harmful".

"It’s wrong, penalties are necessary for that and for leaders that speak out and knowingly lie about the actual conditions," Noem stated. "Chicago is a battlefield and he is dishonest so that criminals can go in there and harm residents."

Federal Deployment and Trump's Order

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

Noem's Justification of Government Actions

The governor supported the government's strategy, stating on Fox that residents backed the federal involvement. "They understand that where we have gone we have increased freedom," she said. "Safety has improved, we have removed numerous offenders that are no longer roaming of Chicago, simply because we’ve been there."

State Leader JB Pritzker Responds

Appearing on a CNN program on Sunday, the Democratic Illinois governor, JB Pritzker, accused the federal government of fueling the problem instead of resolving it. "They are the ones who are turning it into a battlefield," he stated.

"They must leave of Chicago. Unless they concentrate on the worst of the worst, which is what the president said they are going to do, they need to get the heck out."

Border Patrol Incident Information

Border patrol agents on Saturday shot and injured a woman while shooting at an individual who attempted to hit them. The injured female was a American and was carrying a semi-automatic weapon, DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin stated, noting that the woman was alleged in a federal agency alert last week of doxing agents.

Pritzker's Criticism on Social Media

Pritzker also condemned the deployment in a message on a social media site on Saturday, writing: "The federal Department of War gave me an ultimatum: call up your troops, or we shall." He labeled the decision "completely unacceptable and against American values," and added that it had been made "against our will".