A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
For more on the expected deployment of National Guard troops to Chicago, we've called up Democratic Congressman Mike Quigley. He represents Illinois' Fifth District, which includes parts of Chicago. Congressman, 500 National Guard troops could be on the streets of Chicago today. How's the city preparing?
MIKE QUIGLEY: You know, that's what we're anticipating. And what we've done in the last week is crisscross the city and talk to people at food shelters - at food pantries and shelters, the domestic violence courthouse, small businesses. And we've learned that attendance at these shelters, at the pantries, is really down 'cause people are afraid to go get food. They're afraid to get shelter. They're canceling doctors' appointments 'cause they're afraid to get scooped. Women are afraid to go to a domestic violence courthouse to get orders of protection because they're afraid someone will be there to grab them. And then finally, we're hearing from businesses that, especially in Pilsen and Little Village, that they're really hurting. They've lost workers, and a lot of people are afraid to go into the establishments for, again, afraid of...
MARTÍNEZ: Yeah.
QUIGLEY: ...Being grabbed by ICE.
MARTÍNEZ: I know the state of Illinois is suing the administration, seeking to block this deployment of troops in Chicago. What more could leaders do to limit the presence of ICE in their city? I mean, is this the only way, going through the courts?
QUIGLEY: At this point in time, the most effective way. We have our vote, and we have our voice. We're locked out of D.C., virtually. We're not in session. So what we can do is tell people what's happening. My office has created an immigration protection kit, making sure people have completed privacy release forms so that our staff can assist them. We also, you know, can find information about finding friends and family who might've been detained. So there's a number of things our office is doing to try to help people ahead of time, but also to make the public aware of what's taking place, what it means to them and why they should oppose this.
MARTÍNEZ: Yeah. The rhetoric has been pretty intense. President Trump posted that Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, quote, "should be in jail." The governor is encouraging Chicago residents to protest immigration enforcement. I mean, do you endorse that protesting in Chicago?
QUIGLEY: I always endorse peaceful protesting...
MARTÍNEZ: OK.
QUIGLEY: ...And now's the time to step up and let people know just how serious this has gotten. This is a president who has weaponized the tools of democracy. I think people fail to recognize the fact that Putin and Viktor Orban have shown us leaders can be elected democratically and then use the tools of democracy to try to bring that democracy down. In this case, the president's weaponizing the Justice Department to go after his perceived enemies - the FCC, and, of course, now the Department of Defense. Who imagined that an American president would tell a gathering of generals that American cities should be used as training grounds for the U.S. military to fight the enemy from within? I'm not sure who they are exactly referring to as the enemy from within, but we can pretty much guess it's people with brown skin.
MARTÍNEZ: The president has also said that he might invoke the Insurrection Act as a way to circumvent court rulings blocking him from deploying the Guard to U.S. cities such as Chicago. Just a - 20 seconds, Congressman. How seriously do you take that suggestion?
QUIGLEY: I think when a tyrant tells you they're going to do something, you should take it seriously. I don't think this president has any qualms about doing - I think he feels untethered from the facts and the law.
MARTÍNEZ: That is Democratic Congressman Mike Quigley of Illinois. Congressman, thank you.
QUIGLEY: Thank you.
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