Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s remarks about the presence of federal law enforcement officers in Portland are “devoid of any fact or truth,” Acting Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection Mark Morgan said Wednesday.
In an interview on “Fox & Friends,” Morgan said he would “completely rule out” Lightfoot on Tuesday, claiming that the administration was acting unconstitutionally in Oregon City, accusing federal agencies of “authoritarianism.”
CHICAGO’S LORI LIGHTI TWEETS AGAINST TRUMP AS BULLETS FLY OUT OF FUNERAL HOME
“Well, first of all, I completely discard your reference [to] What’s going on in Portland? Those are ill-informed, irresponsible and reckless statements, “he said.” And they are simply devoid of any fact or truth. “
“Once again, our presence in Portland is to respond to violent criminals who are intentionally, knowingly, intentionally attacking federal property and the federal police that are there to defend that property. It is difficult to stop at that,” Morgan said. .
However, many caution that Lightfoot has cause for concern when it comes to the presence of federal agents in the city. President Trump has insisted that they are necessary to protect government assets in the city, but local officials and citizens denounce the use of often unidentified officers who use military tactics.
In an interview Tuesday in “The Story,” Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said his agents “had to proactively go out and arrest people” after more than 50 days of protests, citing the destruction of federal property and attacks on officers.
“Attacking federal police officers and law enforcement officers who have done it for 52 nights in a row is a federal crime. And therefore the department, because we don’t have that local support, that local police support, we have to go outside and arrest people proactively, “Martha MacCallum told presenter.
On Tuesday, Lightfoot tweeted that “under no circumstances would” allow “Donald Trump’s troops to come to Chicago and terrorize [her] residents. “
But that same night, the bullets flew once more into the mayor’s streets in front of a South Side funeral home, a shocking volley of gunfire that left at least 15 people injured.
Morgan said it is “very important” that the American people recognize the difference between the violence in Chicago and “what happened in Portland.”
“Those are two different things,” he noted. “But this president has been very clear. He is not going to stand idly by as he sees the type of violence that is happening in Portland or the type of violence that is happening in Chicago.”
“Now look, I’ve been a law enforcement officer for a long time. I don’t want to get ahead of the president. But yeah, right there there [are] hundreds, if not a couple of thousand federal agents already in Chicago, “Morgan said.
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“What you will see, I anticipate, is that. Additional federal agents will go to Chicago and work together to stop this violence,” he concluded.
Fox News’ Brie Stimson contributed to this report.
