National Guard troops are positioned outside Chicago and could also be in Memphis by Friday, as President Donald Trump's administration pushes ahead with an aggressive policy — whether local leaders support it or not.

Troops’ presence at an Illinois Army Reserve center came despite a lawsuit and vigorous opposition from Democratic elected leaders. Their exact mission was not clear, but the Trump administration launched an aggressive immigration enforcement operation in the nation’s third-largest city last month , and protesters have frequently rallied at an immigration building in nearby Broadview.

Trump has called Chicago a “hellhole” of crime despite police statistics showing significant drops in crime, including homicides.

In Tennessee, Republican Gov. Bill Lee has said troops

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