Illinois Gears Up for Possible National Guard Deployment Amid Legal Battles

Fri Oct 10 2025 20:48:52 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Illinois officials are preparing for the deployment of up to 700 National Guardsmen amid a heated legal challenge against President Trump's controversial plan, which has sparked criticism from local leaders.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has voiced strong opposition to President Trump's plan to send National Guard troops to Chicago as part of a broader strategy that he describes as politically motivated. In response to a lawsuit challenging the deployment, federal officials face urgent deadlines in court. The controversy highlights tensions between federal and state authorities regarding law enforcement and immigration issues amid declining crime rates.

CHICAGO (RTWNews) — Illinois officials are bracing for the potential arrival of the National Guard while a legal battle over President Trump's deployment plan stirs controversy. Governor JB Pritzker criticized the federal order to send approximately 300 state National Guard troops to Chicago, along with 400 from Texas, branding it as political maneuvering by the President.

Governor Pritzker stated, He wants to justify and normalize the presence of armed soldiers under his direct command, accusing the President of using the troops as political props and pawns. This statement underscores the local government's distress over the military presence in urban areas that they feel exacerbates tensions rather than resolving them.

In response to the federal government's action, Illinois and Chicago officials filed a lawsuit challenging the legality of the deployment, which they claim is part of Trump's ongoing War on Chicago and Illinois. A federal judge instructed the Trump administration to respond within two days, with a hearing set for Thursday.

Following the announcement of troop deployment, protests erupted in both Chicago and Portland, Oregon, where similar efforts to send National Guard troops met significant backlash, leading a judge to block the deployment in that city over similar legal concerns regarding the use of military forces against local populations.

Amid the ongoing legal proceedings, heightened tensions have also illuminated broader issues surrounding immigration enforcement. Mayor Brandon Johnson of Chicago has taken proactive measures by signing an executive order preventing federal agents from utilizing city-owned properties for immigration enforcement, further reflecting the growing rift between local and federal authorities.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois has initiated legal proceedings against the federal government as well, labelling their actions as an intimidation tactics towards peaceful demonstrators and members of the press during ongoing protests related to immigration enforcement.

Current federal actions, alongside Trump's historical declaration of sending troops to various cities, have deepened concerns among local leaders who argue that military intervention is unnecessary considering recent declines in violent crime rates.

The current political atmosphere suggests that this story will continue to develop as the deadline for the federal response approaches and the implications of a potential military presence loom over the cities involved.