Trump Announces Surge of Federal Agents to Chicago, Albuquerque to Combat Rise in Violent Crime

Trump Announces Surge of Federal Agents to Chicago, Albuquerque to Combat Rise in Violent Crime
Federal police stand guard on Salmon Street after pushing protesters away from the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse in Portland, Ore., on July 21, 2020. Nathan Howard/Getty Images
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President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday a surge of federal law enforcement will be sent into Chicago, Illinois, and Albuquerque, New Mexico, as part of efforts to combat a recent surge in violent crime in those cities and restore public safety.

The announcement represents an expansion of a Justice Department (DOJ) program—known as “Operation Legend”—to stem the spike in violent crimes across the country. Operation Legend, named after 4-year-old LeGend Taliferro, who was shot and killed while sleeping in his home, was first launched in Kansas City, Missouri, as part of Trump’s promise to assist cities that have have been hit by a recent string of violence, the DOJ said.