THANK YOU.

OF COURSE, WILL SEE YOU AGAIN A COUPLE TIMES A BIT LATER ON IN THE SHOW.

THE STAKES OF THE 2024 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION ARE STARK, ESPECIALLY FOR CHICAGO AND ITS RESIDENTS.

W T TW NEWS REPORTER HEATHER SHARON JOINS US NOW FROM MILWAUKEE'S RIVERFRONT WITH MORE.

HEATHER, YOU KNOW, TO HEAR GOVERNOR JB PRITZKER AND MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON TELL IT THE PROSPECT OF FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP RETURNING TO THE WHITE HOUSE REPRESENTS AN EXISTENTIAL THREAT TO CHICAGO AND ITS RESIDENTS.

TELL US WHY.

WELL, BOTH GOVERNOR PRITZKER AND MAYOR JOHNSON TOLD REPORTERS THAT NOT ONLY DOES FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP POSE A THREAT TO AMERICAN DEMOCRACY, GIVEN HIS SUPPORT FOR THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE JANUARY 6 CAPITOL INSURRECTION, BUT ALSO HIS CONTINUED LIES ABOUT THE 2020 ELECTION.

BUT SPECIFICALLY FOR CHICAGOANS COULD FIND THEIR RIGHTS CURTAILED SICKNICK THAT SIGNIFICANTLY MAKING THE FORMER PRESIDENT'S RE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN A DIRE THREAT FOR CHICAGOANS WHO RELY ON BEING ABLE TO GET REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE OR GENDER AFFIRMING CARE OR WHO SIMPLY WANT TO BE PART OF THE AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE.

ALL OF THOSE ISSUES WOULD BE DIRECTLY IN THE PRESIDENTS SITES.

AND HE HAS SAID THAT HE WILL ROLL BACK DEMOCRATIC LED EFFORTS ON ALL OF THOSE HEATHER, CHICAGO, RED REPUBLICAN LEADERS, THOUGH THEY TOLD YOU THAT A SECOND TERM FOR FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP WOULD MEAN A RETURN TO THE STRONG ECONOMY OF 2019 BEFORE THE PANDEMIC HIT.

WHAT DO THINK WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

WELL, THEY SAY THAT THOSE CONCERNS ABOUT DEMOCRACY AND REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS ARE OVERBLOWN BECAUSE ILLINOIS HAS PROTECTIONS FOR ALL OF THOSE ISSUES ON THE INSIDE STATE LAW.

HOWEVER, THEY SAY THAT TRUMP WILL EXTEND OF THE 2017 PACKAGE OF TAX CUTS HE SIGNED INTO PERMANENTLY AND THAT WILL NOT ONLY ENCOURAGE BUSINESS CREATION.

IT WILL REDUCE UNEMPLOYMENT, EVEN THOUGH UNEMPLOYMENT REMAINS AT HISTORICALLY LOW LEVELS, BUT THAT IT WILL HELP SPREAD PROSPERITY THAT CAN'T HELP BUT HELP CHICAGO FAMILIES NOW STRUGGLING TO BUY A HOUSE OR TO MAKE THEIR RENT.

AND THEY SAY THAT IS WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT WHEN PEOPLE GO TO THE POLLS IN NOVEMBER.

HEATHER, TRUMP WAS PRESIDENT, HE FREQUENTLY TARGETED CHICAGO.

REMIND US WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.

WELL, SHORTLY AFTER TAKING OFFICE IN JANUARY 2017, HE TWEETED THAT HE WAS PREPARED TO, QUOTE, SEND IN THE FEDS TO ADDRESS WHAT HE CALLED HORRIBLE CARNAGE IN CHICAGO.

IN ADDITION, HE ATTEMPTED TO YANK MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN PUBLIC SAFETY GRANTS FROM THE CITY BECAUSE OF ITS STATUS AS A SELF-PROCLAIMED SANCTUARY CITY, WHICH PROHIBITS CITY OFFICIALS, INCLUDING POLICE OFFICERS FROM COOPERATING WITH IMMIGRATION AGENTS IN DEPORTING UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS.

NOW THAT EFFORT WAS ULTIMATELY UNSUCCESSFUL.

BUT THE PRESIDENT HAS VOWED TO REDOUBLE THOSE EFFORTS IF ELECTED TO A SECOND TERM.

AND AS WE HEARD AMANDA SAID, HE IS PROMISING THE LARGEST DEPORTATION EFFORT IN AMERICAN HISTORY AND WHETHER OR NOT THAT WILL BE SUCCESSFUL, I THINK IS AN OPEN QUESTION.

HOWEVER, IT WILL NO DOUBT SEND CHICAGO'S UNDOCUMENTED COMMUNITY INTO THE SHADOWS AND MAKE IT HARDER FOR THEM TO ACCESS CITY OFFICIALS FOR FEAR