The National Guard has been deployed outside of Chicago and may soon arrive in Memphis as part of the Trump administration’s firm stance on combating urban crime, regardless of local opposition. National Guard members from Texas have already stationed themselves at an Army Reserve center in Illinois, amid legal challenges and resistance from Democratic officials. While their specific duties remain unclear, the Trump administration has been active in immigration enforcement in Chicago, where protests have frequently taken place outside an immigration building in Broadview.
President Trump has criticized Chicago as a crime-ridden city, despite police data showing decreases in various criminal activities, including homicides. In Memphis, police chief Cerelyn Davis disclosed that a team of commanders is on-site preparing for the impending arrival of guard troops. Republican Governor Bill Lee has stated that the troops will be deputized by the U.S. Marshals Service to provide essential support to local law enforcement, with the exact nature of their role yet to be defined.
The administration’s efforts to deploy the military in states against local opposition have sparked conflicts with governors in Democratic-leaning states. Illinois and Chicago are seeking a court order to halt what they describe as Trump’s “War” on the state. Meanwhile, in Oregon, a judge recently blocked the deployment of guard troops to Portland.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker anticipates the activation of National Guard troops from his state, alongside 400 troops from Texas. He has criticized Trump for using troops as political tools without prior notification regarding their deployment. Military personnel with the Texas National Guard patch were observed at the U.S. Army Reserve Center in Elwood, southwest of Chicago, where preparations for their stay are underway.
Despite the Posse Comitatus Act restricting the military’s involvement in domestic law enforcement, Trump has hinted at invoking the Insurrection Act to deploy active-duty military to states facing insurrection. Flight restrictions over the Army Reserve Center have been imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration for security reasons until early December.
An intensified immigration crackdown involving armed Border Patrol agents near prominent landmarks has raised concerns following recent operations targeting immigrant-heavy and predominantly Latino areas. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has issued an executive order prohibiting federal immigration agents from using city-owned properties for enforcement activities.
President Trump’s proposals to send troops to various cities, including Baltimore, the District of Columbia, New Orleans, and California cities like Oakland and Los Angeles, have raised eyebrows. Despite a general decline in violent crime nationwide, cities like Chicago and Portland have reported reductions in homicides this year compared to previous periods.
Ongoing protests at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Portland have prompted clashes with law enforcement. In response to the government’s efforts to deploy the National Guard, an appeals court in Oregon is set to hear arguments. Oregon Governor Tina Kotek has emphasized that there is no insurrection in the state, while Portland police chief Bob Day has stressed the need for closer collaboration with federal agents to enhance security at the ICE facility.
