The Trump administration has begun talks on housing ICE agents at a north suburban naval base to support immigration enforcement efforts in Chicago. Despite reports there's also a request to lodge National Guard troops there, Navy officials said that has not happened.

The Department of Homeland Security has reached out to administrators at Naval Station Great Lakes to talk about infrastrusture and logistical help for ICE staff to assist with immigration efforts in the Chicago area.

The Chicago Sun-Times reported on Wednesday that the 1,600-acre naval base also has been approached about the potential to house National Guard soldiers as part of President Trump's plan to send troops to Chicago. A spokesman for the naval base said they have not received any official request to support the National Guard.

City leaders in North Chicago, which neighbors the naval station, said they are also not aware of any troop deployment there.

Gov. JB Pritzker said he's read the reports that the National Guard mobilization has been discussed, but his office has not received any direct communication from the Trump administration.

"We have received no calls from the White House, from the federal government, from anybody who might be in charge of some sort of troop movement," Pritzker said. "They don't seem to want to communicate at all, and that's odd, because it sounds like what they're trying to do is march right over local police. You know, we used to hear that the President of the United States supported local police. WE support local police, but now it appears that he wants to ignore them altogether and do just whatever he has a whim about on that day."

With no official word yet from the White House about the president's suggestion he could deploy the National Guard in Chicago as part of his plan to crack down on crime, Pritzker – who has vehemently opposed sending troops to Chicago – said no communication and no mobilization is good news, for now.

"Right now, it's hard to tell. We haven't seen troop movements yet. We also haven't seen any call-up of our National Guard, but we are on guard hoping that that does not happen," Pritzker said.

On Thursday, Mayor Brandon Johnson will brief members of the City Council how the city would handle a National Guard deployment if it happens. So far, Ald. Anthony Napolitano (41st) is the only City Council member to publicly support bringing in the National Guard.

Even if the president were to send in the National Guard, those troops would not have the power to make arrests or act as a police substitute, and would likely be working near federal buildings or in tandem with federal agents – from ICE to the U.S. Marshals to the FBI – similar to how they've been deployed in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.

At Federal Plaza in downtown Chicago on Wednesday, Latino leaders and immigrant rights groups stood together to say sending troops to Chicago would serve only to intimidate Chicagoans and create fear, not safety.

"Chicago is going to be clear to this president, who tries to identify ways to be able to silence us, to silence dissent. But the attacks on Chicago and Illinois are not about safety and security, we know that. They're about trying to terrorize the resistance," U.S. Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-IL) said.

Ramirez, Illinois state lawmakers, and immigrant rights advocates said the president's plan is less about crime, and more about control.

"What worries me the most is the chilling effect that this will have on our streets, especially our immigrant families," said Illinois state Rep. Norma Hernandez (D-Melrose Park)

But one prominent Chicagoan disagreed. Businessman and frequent Mayoral candidate Willie Wilson – who lost his son to gun violence 15-years ago – on Wednesday urged the president to deploy the National Guard in Chicago.

"We have tried everything else. It has not worked," he said. "I don't agree with everything the president do, let me be clear. I don't agree with everything the Democratics do, let me be clear. But this one, he have 100% of mine support. … Don't reject help to anybody that can save lives."

Despite the fact National Guard troops could not serve in a law enforcement capacity, Wilson said bringing them in is worth a shot, arguing while crime is down, progress has not been sufficient.