Illinois, Chicago Sue Trump Over National Guard Deployment

Illinois and Chicago have filed a federal lawsuit to block President Trump's plan to deploy National Guard troops to Chicago, arguing that the federalization of the National Guard exceeds legal limits and infringes on state autonomy. The lawsuit emphasizes that the federal government can only federalize the National Guard under specific circumstances such as invasion or rebellion, none of which apply here, and warns that military presence in civilian areas risks eroding public trust and disrupting daily life. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker condemned the deployment as "Trump’s invasion," highlighting concerns about federal military intervention motivated by political disputes rather than necessity. Similar legal opposition occurred in Portland, Oregon, where a federal judge temporarily blocked the deployment of federalized troops, leading the Trump administration to announce plans to appeal. The administration defends the deployment as necessary to protect federal properties and enforce immigration laws amid what it describes as violent unrest and crime in these cities. This legal clash underscores deep tensions between Democratic-led states and the Trump administration over the use of military forces in domestic law enforcement.