Federal agents could come to Milwaukee protests, White House Chief of Staff says

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- President Donald Trump says sending federal agents to Portland, Seattle protests helps preserve law and order.

"People say protesters," Pres. Trump said. "These people are anarchists. These are people that hate our country.”

CBS News found Department of Homeland Security documents, showing the department is preparing to send agents to multiple cities, including up to 175 in Chicago.

White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows told FOX News Sunday, those agents could be sent to Milwaukee.

“You’ll see something rolled out this week as we start to go in and make sure the communities, whether it’s Chicago, or Portland, or Milwaukee, or someplace across the heartland of the country," Meadows said. "We need to make sure our communities are safe.”

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett stated “with few exceptions, protests in Milwaukee have been peaceful. It is preposterous to suggest Milwaukee needs federal agents to quell unrest or manage peaceful protests. Their presence at this time could be counterproductive.”

Frank Nitty, who has lead several area protests, says he’s not concerned about the agents, but doesn’t think they will care about the community.

“They’re going to come in and do whatever they want," Nitty said. "They’re not really going to have a regard for people.”

Milwaukee Common Council President Cavalier Johnson stated "I fully oppose the idea of federal law enforcement intervening in Milwaukee and believe doing so would only cause a deeper divide and heightened conflict."

“If you stand up for anything that they don’t want you to stand up for, they’ll come through with force and oppress you," Nitty said. "That’s what I see pretty much.”

The Milwaukee Police Department tells CBS 58 they have not been contacted about federal agents coming to the city.