U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin says the Trump administration's troop deployments to Chicago threaten the Republic and the U.S. Constitution.
On NPR's Morning Edition, the Illinois Democrat referenced last week's late-night immigration raid on a Chicago apartment where 37 people were arrested as a sign of the administration’s overreach.
“For the most part they didn’t know who was inside the building. They alleged afterward it was gang activity, but no evidence whatsoever," Durbin said. "That kind of experience doesn’t sound like America to me. It doesn’t sound like an agency that’s following the Constitution or even cares about human dignity.”
Durbin said Chicago-area businesses are concerned that the immigration raids and troop deployments are scaring away customers.
The state of Illinois and city of Chicago have sued the Trump administration over its National Guard deployments to Illinois. The Trump administration has said the forces are necessary to protect federal immigration officers and facilities.
Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson have said the deployments are an abuse of power and an unnecessary escalation.
U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., announced Thursday the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee will hold a hearing on the administration’s deployments to Chicago and other American cities.
Duckworth calls the deployments “Trump’s most egregious abuses of our nation’s military” and said they are being done to “intimidate Americans in their own communities.”
Government shutdown
Durbin says millions of Illinoisans will soon see much higher health insurance premiums unless Congress extends Obamacare subsidies.
It's become a key issue in the federal government shutdown which is now in its second week.
“People across the board are saying ‘do something about the cost,’ which is going to be dramatic if nothing is done. Families are struggling with groceries and utility bills and healthcare costs are dramatically increasing in many states,” Durbin said.
Durbin said the Republican-led House hasn't been called back, he thinks, because House Speaker Mike Johnson worries the GOP will lose more votes.
“If they speak to one another among those in the Republican caucus and talk about the impact that this healthcare cost increase is going to have on American families, there’s going to be some people break away from the party loyalty,” Durbin said.
Republicans want Democrats to pass a short-term continuing resolution with no changes.
The GOP is trying to persuade a few Senate Democrats to back a so-called clean spending bill without any modifications to healthcare, enabling them to avoid a filibuster.
