Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker have been stalwart in their opposition to the enforcement of federal immigration laws.

In response, President Donald Trump has suggested that the two high-profile Democrats should face criminal charges for obstruction of justice. 

Trump: Governor and mayor "should be in jail for failing to protect ICE Officers"

According to Breitbart, Trump made the assertion in a Truth Social post on Wednesday, writing, "Chicago Mayor should be in jail for failing to protect ICE Officers! Governor Pritzker also!"

Breitbart noted how Illinois' governor was quick to respond in a post of his own on X, declaring, "I will not back down."

I will not back down.

Trump is now calling for the arrest of elected representatives checking his power.

What else is left on the path to full-blown authoritarianism? pic.twitter.com/TieJ2irYv5

— Governor JB Pritzker (@GovPritzker) October 8, 2025

"Trump is now calling for the arrest of elected representatives checking his power," Pritzker continued before asking, "What else is left on the path to full-blown authoritarianism?"

For his part, Johnson put up a social media post which accused the president of racism, stating, "This is not the first time Trump has tried to have a Black man unjustly arrested. I’m not going anywhere."

Johnson signed an executive order declaring "ICE-free zones"

As Mediaite reported, the order bars ICE agents from making use of any "city-owned or controlled parking lots, vacant lots, and garages as staging areas, processing locations, or operations bases."

"We have a rogue, reckless group of heavily armed, masked individuals roaming throughout our city that are not accountable to the people of Chicago," the mayor told reporters at a press conference.

The local leader was then quoted as warning the president that "[i]f Congress won’t check this administration, then Chicago will."

Chicago gang leader accused putting bounties on ICE agents

Meanwhile, Fox News noted that Chief Border Patrol agent Gregory Bovino lashed out at Pritzker during an interview on Wednesday.

Bovino also referenced allegations that a suspected Chicago gang leader offered to pay a cash reward for the murder of a senior immigration officer.

"He has not mentioned bounties on federal law enforcement," Bovino said of Pritzker. "He's not mentioned those individuals that you talked about at the beginning of the segment that prey on American citizens that are walking the streets."