For decades, Chicago has stood as a monument to Democratic governance—a city where violent crime became as predictable as Lake Michigan’s winter winds. (You know the type: cities run by progressives who think criminals are just misunderstood.) The Windy City’s residents have grown accustomed to headlines about weekend shooting sprees, carjackings in broad daylight, and businesses fleeing once-thriving neighborhoods. Yet when federal help finally arrived to restore order, something extraordinary happened: the very leaders who should have welcomed assistance instead declared war on those trying to save their city.
What unfolded in Chicago over the past few months reveals a disturbing truth about modern progressive politics. When faced with a choice between protecting their citizens and protecting their ideology, these leftist officials chose ideology—even as their streets became safer despite their best efforts to stop it. They’d rather see chaos than admit they were wrong.
From ‘The Post Millennial’:
President Donald Trump has announced that there has been a massive drop in crime since the launch of Operation Midway Blitz in Chicago, including a 35 percent drop in shootings, 41 percent drop in robberies, and carjackings down 50 percent.
Trump posted to Truth Social, “I am proud to announce that Chicago, Illinois, despite all of the radical opposition and obstruction we have from the Mayor and the Governor, has seen Car Theft, Shootings, Robberies, Violent Crime, and everything else, drop dramatically. Since the launch of the DHS operation ‘Midway Blitz’ in Chicago only weeks ago, Shootings are down 35%, Robberies are down 41%, and Carjackings are down almost 50% — And this is with just a small initial Federal Force, not the full “surge” we have done in Chicago and Memphis.”
The Numbers Don’t Lie
President Trump’s announcement represents more than just statistics—it’s vindication of what conservatives have argued for years: enforcing the law actually works. (Revolutionary concept, right?) Operation Midway Blitz, launched by the Department of Homeland Security in early September, achieved what Chicago’s own leadership claimed was impossible. In mere weeks, shootings plummeted by 35 percent. Robberies fell 41 percent. Carjackings—the city’s signature crime—dropped by nearly half.
These aren’t marginal improvements. They’re transformative changes that mean real Chicago families can walk to their cars without fear, real businesses can operate without bulletproof glass, and real children can play outside again. And here’s the kicker: this was accomplished with what Trump himself noted was “just a small initial Federal Force.” Imagine what a full deployment could do.
Democrats’ Dangerous Resistance
Rather than celebrate these life-saving results, Governor JB Pritzker and Mayor Brandon Johnson launched an unprecedented campaign of obstruction. Pritzker’s August warning to President Trump—”do not come to Chicago. You are neither wanted here nor needed here”—aged about as well as milk in the summer sun. While he postured, Trump’s task force systematically dismantled criminal networks his administration had allowed to flourish.
Johnson went even further, establishing “ICE-free zones” through executive order. Then he called Trump “unstable” and “simple-minded.” (Simple-minded? The man who just cut crime in half while you were filing lawsuits?) When the president suggested arresting officials who obstruct federal law enforcement, Johnson’s response revealed everything. The mayor’s reaction to plummeting crime rates? Accusing Trump of trying to “militarize” communities. He filed legal challenges to remove the very agents making his city safer.
Most disturbing, this political resistance emboldened violent attacks on DHS officers. Agents were shot at. Rammed by vehicles. Physically assaulted. Trump accurately labeled it “Violent Leftwing Terrorism” that Democrat officials “refuse to stop or prosecute.” Think about that. American law enforcement, trying to protect American citizens, under attack while local politicians look the other way. It’s beyond shameful—it’s criminal.
The Real Cost of Woke Politics
While Pritzker and Johnson played their twisted political games, Chicago’s Magnificent Mile—once America’s premier shopping destination—suffered a 28 percent vacancy rate. The iconic Rolex store? Ransacked in a brazen daylight smash-and-grab. Families and businesses didn’t flee from federal agents. They fled from the mayhem that progressive policies enabled.
The contrast couldn’t be starker. On one side, federal agents risking their lives to restore order. On the other, Chicago’s political class actively sabotaging public safety to score ideological points. Johnson claimed there was “no emergency in Chicago” even as carjackings terrorized residents and shootings claimed innocent lives. His priority wasn’t protecting citizens—it was protecting his woke narrative.
This is what happens when leftist dogma supersedes public safety. Leaders become so invested in their anti-law-enforcement fantasy that they’d rather see their cities burn than admit conservative policies work. How many people had to suffer for their pride?
Key Takeaways
- Crime in Chicago dropped 35-50% within weeks of federal intervention
- Democrat leaders actively obstructed efforts that saved lives
- Federal agents faced violence while local officials refused to prosecute attackers
- Small federal force achieved what Chicago’s leadership claimed impossible
Sources: The Post Millennial, Mail Online
