A federal judge in Chicago announced a temporary halt to President Donald Trump’s plan to deploy hundreds of National Guard troops in Illinois. This decision came after a similar deployment in Portland, Oregon, was blocked by another judge earlier in the week.
During a two-hour hearing, U.S. District Judge April Perry expressed concerns that sending Guard troops to Illinois would escalate tensions. The judge is set to release a detailed written order on Friday.
While Guard soldiers were observed patrolling a suburban Chicago immigration facility, a federal appeals court in San Francisco is leaning towards overturning the ruling that blocked Trump’s deployment in Portland. These legal battles have significant implications as Trump seeks to send military personnel to U.S. cities over objections from Democratic leaders.
The government argued that the National Guard troops were necessary to protect federal officers and property from demonstrators. However, Illinois and Oregon governors accused Trump of exaggerating the protests’ violence to justify the deployments.
Judge Perry cast doubt on the government’s claims of violence at the Broadview, Illinois immigration facility. She referred to a separate ruling that limited federal agents’ use of force during protests at the same location.
The court’s order preventing the deployment of Guard soldiers in Illinois will remain in effect until at least October 23. The White House plans to appeal the decision, with a spokesperson emphasizing Trump’s commitment to addressing lawlessness in American cities.
In response, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker criticized Trump’s actions, stating that there is no credible evidence of a rebellion in Illinois warranting the National Guard’s presence. Meanwhile, Guard soldiers were observed outside the ICE facility in Broadview as protesters gathered nearby.
At the San Francisco appellate court, Oregon officials challenged Trump’s portrayal of Portland’s situation as being plagued by violence. The court deliberated on the necessity of troops based on current circumstances versus past protests.
The National Guard, typically under governors’ control, responds to events like natural disasters. While presidents can deploy the Guard, Trump’s decisions to send troops to cities led by political opponents are contentious.
Trump indicated his intention to expand troop deployments to combat perceived violence in U.S. cities, mentioning plans for Chicago and other locations. He justified these actions as necessary to address left-wing domestic terrorism and singled out the anti-fascist movement antifa.
In a separate ruling, a Los Angeles court deemed Trump’s Guard deployment during the summer unlawful, a decision under appeal by the administration.
