South Side Violence Escalates as Chicago Leaders Quietly Back National Guard—But Are Afraid to Say It
A prominent Democratic alderman from Chicago’s South Side is urging President Trump to deploy the National Guard to the city, citing surging crime and what he describes as a lack of urgency from local and state leadership.
Raymond Lopez, who represents Chicago’s 15th Ward, told The New York Post that Chicago should accept any help available — even if it comes from a Republican president. He believes many of his Democratic colleagues quietly agree, but fear political backlash.
“This is a very real war that we are fighting here, and we need every tool in the toolbox to win it,” Lopez said. “If that means working with a Republican president to keep Chicagoans safe, then that is what we should be doing. We shouldn’t be playing politics with people’s lives.”
Lopez’s ward spans several neighborhoods across the South Side, where he says crime has become so severe that many residents are afraid to walk outside — even during the day.
“We have human traffickers connected with Tren de Aragua here selling women for $150 on Facebook Marketplace,” Lopez claimed. “I had high school students gunned down by a Venezuelan migrant on their way home from school a couple of weeks ago.”
According to Lopez, international gangs and migrant-related violence are contributing to what he calls “gang versus gang warfare.” He argues that a National Guard deployment, like one that reportedly helped reduce crime in Washington, D.C. by 45% in a single month, could have a similar effect in Chicago.
Though Trump has said he’s willing to send federal troops, he insists the request must come from local officials — including Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. Neither has made such a request, and most Democratic leaders have remained publicly opposed.
Lopez, however, is breaking ranks.
“I live this every day,” he said. “I see in real time the criminality that exists in our communities and its impact on my residents and on law-abiding people of Chicago who just want to get by — to go to work, drop off their kids, or sit on the front porch without becoming victims of violent crime.”
He also accused some fellow Democrats of prioritizing political optics over public safety.
“I haven’t lost touch with that fact, and sadly, I think many in the Democratic elite have,” he added.
Lopez estimates that roughly half of the City Council would support bringing in the National Guard, but fear political consequences — particularly from powerful figures like Governor Pritzker.
“I don’t know if anyone is willing to stand up against the billionaire governor because of fear that he would dump money into their opponent’s campaigns,” Lopez said.
He believes support for the idea extends to the residents of his ward, whom he says are increasingly skeptical of political posturing.
“They see through the gaslighting that’s going on by many of my colleagues and peers, who are just content pushing forward the anti-Trump narrative so they can appear to be doing something for the people of Chicago,” Lopez said.
Former Cook County First Assistant State’s Attorney Robert Milan is one of the few other Democrats to speak in favor of federal support. Milan helped lead earlier joint operations between local police and federal agents in the early 2000s and in 2016 — efforts that, he says, significantly reduced crime in short time spans.
“This isn’t a political issue. It’s a safety issue,” Milan said. “Nobody’s talking about the people getting killed on the South and West Side. It’s all about President Trump versus Mayor Johnson. It’s not about the children, not about these poor families.”
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