New York: The White House is citing New Delhi’s low murder rate in comparison to Chicago’s soaring homicides to justify US President Donald Trump’s push for federal intervention in American cities grappling with crime. The administration is building its case for deploying federal forces in Chicago, following similar action in Washington, D.C.

White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said Chicago’s murder rate was 15 times higher than that of Delhi in 2024. According to official data, Chicago recorded a homicide rate of 25.5 per 100,000 residents, while Delhi’s was significantly lower at 1.48.

Earlier, to support the controversial move of deploying the National Guard in Washington, the White House released a comparative chart of murder rates across 11 global capitals. Washington topped the list with a staggering 27.64 murders per 100,000 people, while Delhi ranked ninth, faring better than cities like Islamabad and Caracas. Only London and Madrid recorded lower homicide rates than the Indian capital.

Islamabad was ranked the fourth worst capital in terms of homicides, with a rate of 9.2.

With Washington already under federal watch, Trump now has his sights on Chicago, which he called “a mess.” “Chicagoans are screaming for help,” he said last week. “Chicago will be our next federal deployment, and then we'll help with New York.”

However, Trump’s plans are facing strong resistance from Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, both Democrats, who warned of legal challenges. “We will not stand idly by if he decides to send the National Guard to intimidate Chicagoans,” Pritzker said.

The National Guard, a military reserve force similar to India’s Territorial Army, can be deployed both domestically and in foreign combat zones. Unlike in Washington — a federal district where Trump could override local opposition — deploying federal forces in U.S. states without their consent is a legal grey area and could face constitutional hurdles.

Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser, who initially opposed Trump’s intervention, later admitted that crime had declined since the August 11 deployment. “This surge has been important to us. Carjackings are down, gun use is down, and neighbourhoods are safer,” she said. Since the deployment, the city has not recorded a single homicide — a sharp contrast to the 100 murders it had seen between January and early August.

As part of a broader crackdown, President Trump is also advocating for capital punishment in Washington, including for juveniles in extreme cases, and is urging states to revoke cashless bail policies, threatening to cut federal funding to those that resist.

He has also framed the crime issue along party lines, claiming that nearly all of the 25 cities with the highest crime rates are governed by Democrats.

Crime remains a key voter concern, and Trump appears to be banking on this issue heading into the next election cycle. Notably, a vast majority of crime victims in cities like Chicago are from African American and Latino communities — a demographic Trump is now trying to appeal to.

In raw numbers, Chicago, with a population of 2.75 million, recorded 573 murders and over 2,100 sex crimes last year. By comparison, Delhi, a megacity of 34 million, reported 504 murders and 2,076 crimes against women, according to Delhi Police data.