DOJ Officials Patel and Blanche Defend National Guard and FBI Resource Surge in Chicago
On Oct. 7, 2025 FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche toured the FBI’s Chicago field office and publicly defended a surge of FBI resources and National Guard deployments to support DHS, saying the bureau was "flexing resources" and linking the effort to removing noncitizens they said were correlated with violent crime, while Blanche argued Guard assistance was necessary and criticized state opposition. Their remarks come amid a broader Trump-administration enforcement push — including withholding billions in infrastructure funding for New York and $2.1 billion for Chicago projects during a shutdown — and heightened political dispute after Gov. J.B. Pritzker called federal actions a “war zone” and DHS released materials defending its joint operations and citing arrests of noncitizens and alleged gang members.
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📌 Key Facts
- On Oct. 7, 2025, FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche toured the FBI Chicago field office and publicly defended deploying the National Guard and an expanded FBI resource surge to Chicago, saying Guard assistance was necessary and criticizing state opposition.
- Patel said the FBI is 'flexing resources' to support DHS and tied the operation to removing 'illegal aliens that are correlated to that violent crime,' explicitly linking immigration enforcement to the federal crackdown.
- DHS released a rebuttal to Gov. J.B. Pritzker's criticisms, asserted the administration's authority to deploy troops to defend federal facilities, defended ICE/CBP operations, and said a targeted South Shore apartment operation with CBP, FBI and ATF produced 37 arrests of noncitizens (including alleged Tren de Aragua gang members).
- Gov. J.B. Pritzker escalated rhetoric against federal officials, saying the Trump-administration enforcement and deployment actions in Chicago were 'making it a war zone.'
- OMB Director Russ Vought announced multiple infrastructure funding pauses tied to the shutdown: roughly $18 billion for New York projects (including an immediate $300 million impact on the Second Avenue subway), about $8 billion in energy projects, and $2.1 billion for Chicago projects — the latter affecting the planned Red Line extension — saying funds were 'put on hold' over concerns including race-based contracting.
- The White House framed the funding freezes as an opportunity to reshape spending; President Trump publicly praised Vought, posted on Truth Social calling Democrats the 'Radical Left' and urging a chance to 'clear out dead wood,' and House Speaker Mike Johnson endorsed Vought's actions.
- Legal analysts and a former OMB official warned the administration's threats of layoffs and permanent cuts may be limited or a 'bluff,' and observers linked the funding actions to Vought's prior Project 2025 agenda to curb agency autonomy.
- Live coverage noted Senate timing (observance of Yom Kippur) meant lawmakers likely would not vote again until Friday, affecting the near-term path to restoring paused funding.
📚 Contextual Background
- The Trump administration announced the cancellation of nearly $8 billion in climate-related projects in 16 states: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Vermont and Washington.
- Fourteen of the 16 states affected by the cancellations had Democratic governors, while New Hampshire and Vermont had Republican governors.
- Chuck Schumer is the Senate Minority Leader and a United States Senator representing New York.
- Hakeem Jeffries is the House Minority Leader and a member of the United States House of Representatives representing New York.
📰 Sources (10)
Patel, FBI 'flex resources' for Windy City crime crackdown as part of Trump administration's 'focused effort'
New information:
- On Oct. 7, 2025 FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche toured the FBI Chicago field office and publicly defended deploying the National Guard to Chicago.
- Patel said the FBI is 'flexing resources' to support DHS and linked efforts to removing 'illegal aliens that are correlated to that violent crime,' explicitly tying immigration enforcement to the federal operation.
- Blanche publicly urged that the National Guard is needed in Chicago and criticized state opposition to the deployments, saying officials 'have access to the same TV' and arguing Guard assistance is necessary.
DHS takes on Pritzker's 'Smorgasbord of Lies,' releases list debunking his claims
New information:
- DHS publicly released a list it says 'debunks' Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s claims about federal operations and included direct quotations from DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.
- DHS says a targeted South Shore apartment operation conducted with CBP, FBI and ATF resulted in the arrest of 37 noncitizens from countries including Venezuela, Mexico, Colombia and Nigeria, and that Tren de Aragua gang members were among those arrested.
- DHS explicitly asserted President Trump’s constitutional authority to deploy troops to defend federal facilities and defended ICE/CBP operations against the governor’s accusations of targeting U.S. citizens.
Pritzker says Trump officials' Chicago crackdown is "making it a war zone"
New information:
- Gov. J.B. Pritzker publicly characterized recent Trump-administration enforcement and deployment actions in Chicago as 'making it a war zone' (quote reported Oct. 5, 2025).
- The article records an on-the-record, high-level state official escalation in rhetoric toward federal officials over enforcement tactics in Chicago (named participant: Gov. J.B. Pritzker).
Trump to withhold $2.1 billion for Chicago infrastructure projects amid shutdown battle
New information:
- The Trump administration (via OMB/White House Budget Director Russ Vought) will withhold $2.1 billion in federal funding for Chicago infrastructure projects.
- The pause specifically affects the planned extension of Chicago’s Red Line train.
- Russ Vought said on social media the funds were 'put on hold to ensure funding is not flowing via race‑based contracting.'
- This action is presented alongside an earlier, separate withholding announcement affecting New York infrastructure funding.
As the shutdown drags on, the threat of permanent cuts is mired in politics
New information:
- Direct reporting that Russell Vought 'announced' the cancellation/withholding of $8 billion in energy projects and said he would cancel $18 billion in New York infrastructure funding (strong attribution to OMB/administration)
- President Trump’s Truth Social message framing the pause as an opportunity to "clear out dead wood" and calling Democrats the 'Radical Left', quoted verbatim
- House Speaker Mike Johnson's on‑the‑record statement endorsing Vought's role and characterizing the decision as following a presidential directive
- Legal/analytical quote from Bridget Dooling (Ohio State law professor and former OMB official) calling the administration's layoffs threat a 'bluff' and distinguishing temporary lapses from permanent RIF authority
- Contextual background on Russell Vought's prior advocacy (Project 2025) linking his earlier policy prescriptions to current OMB actions
Who is Russ Vought? What to know about Trump's OMB director ahead of shutdown layoffs
New information:
- CBS ties those funding freezes explicitly to decisions being implemented and communicated by OMB Director Russ Vought as part of the administration's shutdown posture.
- Adds context that Vought has sought rescissions previously and frames the freezes as consistent with his Project 2025 agenda to limit agency autonomy.
Government shutdown live updates as impasse enters second day
New information:
- CBS live update confirms the White House move to pause $18 billion in New York infrastructure funding and $8 billion in climate-related projects.
- Reports that Senate won't vote again until Friday (observance of Yom Kippur) which affects the near-term path to restoring funding.
- Direct quote from President Trump on Truth Social framing the shutdown as a chance to 'clear out dead wood.'
Trump uses government shutdown to dole out firings and political punishment
New information:
- Direct attribution that OMB placed roughly $18 billion on hold for New York subway and Hudson Tunnel projects during the shutdown (confirmed in this AP piece)
- Contextual quote from President Trump praising OMB Director Russ Vought's ability to 'trim the budget' and framing the shutdown as an opportunity to reshape spending priorities
Trump freezes $18 billion in funding for NYC, home to key Democratic leaders
New information:
- USDOT explicitly tied its review of New York funding to the federal shutdown in its statement, per NPR reporting.
- NPR reports an immediate operational effect: a $300 million disbursement for the Second Avenue subway project will be affected immediately.
- Direct attributions and quotes included from Russell Vought (OMB post on X), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (post on X), and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul's press‑conference remarks.