President Trump is expanding a federal law enforcement operation on Wednesday to Chicago and Albuquerque, New Mexico, to combat rising violence, The Washington Times has learned.
Building on the Justice Department’s “Operation LeGend” in Kansas City, Missouri, the president is expected to order a surge of about 100 federal agents to each of the two new locations to address violence in those cities.
Mr. Trump will make the announcement at a White House event highlighting the progress of the Kansas City operation. That effort, named for a four-year-old boy who was killed by a stray bullet, sent about 225 federal agents to the city.
The president’s move comes in the face of resistance from local government officials such as Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Mayor Ted Wheeler of violence-wracked Portland, Oregon, who don’t want the help and question Mr. Trump’s motives.
“Under no circumstances will I allow Donald Trump’s troops to come to Chicago and terrorize our residents,” Ms. Lightfoot tweeted.
Chicago police were searching Wednesday for gunmen who wounded at least 15 people in a mass shooting outside a funeral home. Shootings and homicides have risen dramatically in the city this year.
Sen. Martin Heinrich, New Mexico Democrat, called on Bernalillo County Sheriff Manuel Gonzales to resign for attending the White House event and supporting the president’s planned surge in Albuquerque.
“Instead of collaborating with the Albuquerque Police Department, the Sheriff is inviting the president’s stormtroopers into Albuquerque,” Mr. Heinrich said. “If we can learn anything from Portland, it’s that we don’t need this kind of ‘help’ from the White House. The president is currently using federal law enforcement agents like a domestic paramilitary force. That’s precisely how fascism begins and none of us should ever encourage or accept it.”
The sheriff fired back at the senator, saying Mr. Heinrich “couldn’t be more … out of touch with the local social problems and the great work being done by our deputies and the other first responders.”
“The citizens of Bernalillo County deserve to live in safety,” Sheriff Gonzales said. “Many cities including Albuquerque continue to see levels of extraordinary violence. As the constitutionally elected sheriff, I seek to ensure that no citizen is excluded from the peace and security that should be enjoyed by all Americans.”
