Lightfoot confirms federal agents will help manage Chicago violence

CHICAGO - Mayor Lori Lightfoot had a different tone Tuesday regarding President Donald Trump's decision to send federal agents to Chicago.

“I’m hopeful that they will not be foolish enough to bring that kind of nonsense to Chicago,” the mayor said regarding how the agents were deployed in Portland, Oregon.

Lightfoot has confirmed that federal agents will be used to help Chicago police crackdown on violent crime. But instead of deploying in military-style camouflage with heavy firepower, a source tells FOX 32 more than 200 federal agents are coming to Chicago to work alongside colleagues who have spent their careers fighting crime in the city.

They will include not just Homeland Security's ICE, as reported Monday, but additional U.S. Marshals and agents from the FBI, DEA and ATF.

“All those agencies are here. They've been here for decades. They have ongoing cases that they're investigating,” Lightfoot said.

The federal reinforcements come as more than 2,000 people have been shot in Chicago so far this year. No one is arrested or prosecuted in a large majority of shootings in the city, and Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx says she is preparing for a 10-percent budget cut.

Because President Trump linked the deployment to his re-election campaign, simultaneously denouncing, "far-left, radical Democrats" who want to destroy America, some Democrats still suspect a replay of Portland.

“What we saw in Oregon has resemblances to a police state and fear, the likes of which are coming to Chicago,” said Rep. Jesus ‘Chuy’ Garcia.

“Any involvement by federal law enforcement in community policing activity must be conducted in co-ordination with, and with the approval of, local law enforcement officials,” said Illinois Senator Dick Durbin.

A federal source told FOX 32 the White House will formally announce the deployment of 200-plus federal agents to Chicago this week, perhaps as soon as Wednesday.