PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP HAS AMPLIFIED HIS PROMISES TO SEND NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS AND IMMIGRATION AGENTS TO CHICAGO.

SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, U.S. President:

"When you try and reason with people, like in Chicago, with the governor and the mayor, you try to reason with them and it's like you're talking to a wall. We'd love to go into Chicago and straighten it out."

HIS COMMENTS FOLLOW A WEEKEND TRUTH SOCIAL POST WHERE HE PARODIED AN IMAGE FROM “APOCALYPSE NOW” FEATURING A BALL OF FLAMES AS HELICOPTERS ZOOM OVER THE NATION’S THIRD-LARGEST CITY AND WROTE “I LOVE THE SMELL OF DEPORTATIONS IN THE MORNING."

THE WEEKEND POST FOLLOWS TRUMP’S REPEATED THREATS TO ADD CHICAGO TO THE LIST OF OTHER DEMOCRATIC-LED CITIES HE’S TARGETED FOR EXPANDED FEDERAL ENFORCEMENT, INCLUDING LOS ANGELES AND WASHINGTON.

SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, U.S. President:

"Washington DC, you'll be happy to know, is a free and safe zone. It's so safe right now." (applause)

IT MARKS THE LATEST FLASHPOINT IN A BROADER NATIONAL STRUGGLE OVER HOW FAR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAN PUSH LOCAL AUTHORITIES TO COOPERATE WITH ITS IMMIGRATION AGENDA.

ONE IMMIGRATION LAWYER IN CHICAGO SAYS EVEN IMMIGRANTS WITH GREEN CARDS ARE “LIVING IN FEAR.”

SOUNDBITE (English) Justin Burton, immigration attorney:

"They see a post, like the Apocalypsle Now post, and it sends chills through the community. And people that have been productive in society and people who have worked in society are now afraid to and leave their homes. The pendulum has shift from the days of allowing lots of people to come to the United States because they're fearful of returning back to their home countries, now towards enforcement-oriented, let's deport everybody from the United States as quickly as humanly possible to rack up the numbers."