President Donald Trump has authorised the deployment of 300 National Guard troops to Chicago to address what he describes as out-of-control crime.
This decision follows hours after federal immigration authorities encountered protesters in the Democrat-controlled city, during which an armed woman was shot when she and others allegedly rammed their vehicles into law enforcement vehicles.
Local leaders have criticized Trump's deployment plans, with Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker accusing the President of attempting to manufacture a crisis.
The timing is significant as a federal judge in Portland, Oregon—another city with a Democratic leadership—temporarily blocked a similar deployment of 200 troops there. Judge Karin Immergut stated that Trump's assertions regarding conditions in Portland were untethered to the facts and indicated that the deployment violated constitutional protections.
She stressed that using military forces to quell unrest without state consent risks undermining the sovereignty of states. A legal challenge against the Chicago deployment is also likely, though it remains uncertain if any troops have been mobilised in the city thus far.
Chicago is among several cities targeted for federal troop deployment by the Trump administration, joining locations such as Washington D.C., Los Angeles, and Memphis. The city has seen a surge in protests against immigration enforcement, particularly outside ICE facilities.
In light of ongoing protests and riots, the White House defended the decision, arguing that local leaders like Governor Pritzker have failed to address rising chaos. White House Press Secretary Abigail Jackson stated, President Trump will not turn a blind eye to the lawlessness plaguing American cities. Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security reported that the injured protester, who was part of the group attacking law enforcement vehicles, drove herself to a local hospital after sustaining injuries.
