Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, right, alongside Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson during a September press briefing concerning President Trump’s threats to send National Guard troops and federal immigration enforcement personnel to Chicago.
Scott Olson/Getty Images North America
Illinois, together with the city of Chicago, has initiated a federal lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s attempt to mobilize National Guard forces within the state.
The lawsuit seeks a judicial injunction to prevent the federal government from federalizing the Illinois National Guard and from deploying National Guard units from other states, such as Texas, into Illinois.
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul emphasized in the complaint that no American should endure the presence of military forces simply because their local or state officials have fallen out of favor with the president.
This legal action follows a rapid series of events over three days, during which the Trump administration sought to federalize National Guard units in Illinois and Oregon, as well as transfer troops from other states to these locations.
For several weeks, President Trump has vowed to deploy National Guard troops to cities like Chicago and Portland, which he has described as plagued by crime and in need of federal intervention. The administration has stated that these forces will safeguard federal immigration officers and government properties.
Protesters assemble outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Portland, Oregon.
Ethan Swope/AP
State and local officials in Illinois and Oregon have publicly stated that the presence of National Guard troops is unnecessary and accuse the Trump administration of overstepping its authority.
Despite opposition, the federal government has proceeded with plans to station National Guard units in these Democratic-led cities, following earlier deployments in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.
Chicago Takes Legal Action as Troop Deployment Looms
The lawsuit filed on Monday contends that the federal government’s authority to federalize a state’s National Guard is limited to situations involving invasion, insurrection, or when federal law enforcement is inadequate-none of which apply here.
Over the weekend, President Trump authorized the mobilization of at least 300 Illinois National Guard members. According to a Pentagon memo obtained by NPR, these troops are intended to protect federal properties and personnel, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Federal Protective Service agents.
Additionally, Texas Governor Greg Abbott approved a request from the White House to activate 400 Texas National Guard members, some of whom are expected to be deployed to Illinois.
Governor JB Pritzker, a Democrat who has frequently opposed President Trump, condemned the administration’s weekend actions.
“We must call this what it truly is: an invasion by Trump,” Pritzker declared on X. “It began with federal agents, escalated to federalizing Illinois National Guard troops against our will, and now includes sending military forces from another state.”
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson stated on Saturday that the federalization of Illinois National Guard troops was authorized “amid ongoing violent riots and lawlessness” in Chicago, aiming to “safeguard federal officers and assets,” as reported by WBEZ.
Federal Judge Halts National Guard Deployment in Oregon
In Oregon, a federal judge issued a temporary injunction late Sunday preventing the Trump administration from sending National Guard troops from other states into Oregon.
This decision came after reports that California National Guard members had been sent to Oregon, with Texas also granting approval for troop deployment.
Police and federal officers deploy gas canisters to disperse demonstrators near a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Portland, Oregon.
Ethan Swope/AP
The states of Oregon, Portland, and California jointly petitioned U.S. District Judge Karin J. Immergut to block the deployment. This came just one day after she issued a temporary order preventing the federalization of Oregon’s National Guard.
Judge Immergut, appointed by Trump in 2019, expressed concern in her ruling about the administration’s attempts to circumvent her order by sending troops from other states. Oregon Public Broadcasting reported her statement: “I am certainly troubled by now hearing that both California and Texas are being sent to Oregon, which does appear to be in direct contradiction of my order.”
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield applauded the judge’s decision, tweeting, “The president cannot continue to play whack-a-mole with different states’ Guard units to evade court orders and the rule of law.”
Judge Immergut’s earlier ruling clarified that the administration had not demonstrated that the protests outside the Portland ICE facility amounted to a rebellion, noting that these gatherings were typically small and mostly peaceful.
The Department of Defense had federalized 200 Oregon National Guard members the previous Sunday, as communicated to Governor Tina Kotek.
Following the judge’s initial injunction, President Trump remarked that he had not yet reviewed the order but criticized the judge, stating, “that judge ought to be ashamed of themselves.”
