A federal judge in Chicago on Thursday temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s plan to deploy hundreds of National Guard troops to Illinois, marking the second such setback for the White House in less than a week as courts scrutinize the president’s efforts to send military personnel into Democratic-led states.
U.S. District Judge April Perry issued the order after more than two hours of arguments between lawyers for the Justice Department and the state of Illinois, which sued the Trump administration over the move.
In her ruling, Perry said the deployment would “only add fuel to the fire,” questioning the government’s claims that Guard soldiers were needed to quell unrest at an immigration detention facility in Broadview, a Chicago suburb.
Perry’s injunction, which remains in effect until at least October 23, follows a similar ruling by a federal judge in Portland, Oregon, last week blocking Trump’s deployment there.
However, a three-judge federal appeals panel in San Francisco appeared on Thursday to lean toward overturning that Portland decision, potentially allowing hundreds of troops to enter the city.
The dueling court cases carry major implications for Trump’s widening campaign to send military forces into U.S. cities despite opposition from Democratic governors and mayors.
Administration lawyers have argued that the Guard deployments are necessary to protect federal officers and property.
But Democratic leaders in Illinois and Oregon say the protests have been mostly peaceful and accuse Trump of exaggerating the scale of unrest to justify politically motivated interventions.
Perry cited a separate ruling by another Chicago judge earlier Thursday that restricted federal agents from using force to disperse demonstrators and journalists near the Broadview facility.
“The conduct of federal officers has triggered these protests,” she wrote, “and deploying National Guard soldiers would only escalate tensions further.”
In response, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said the administration would appeal. “President Trump will not turn a blind eye to the lawlessness plaguing American cities,” she said. “We expect to be vindicated by a higher court.”
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker welcomed the ruling, calling it a victory for the rule of law. “Donald Trump is not a king, and his administration is not above the law,” he posted on social media. “There is no credible evidence of rebellion in Illinois, and no place for the National Guard on our city streets.”
Meanwhile, Trump signaled plans to expand his deployments, telling reporters during a cabinet meeting, “We’re in Memphis. We’re going to Chicago. We’re going to other cities.” He claimed the moves were necessary to combat “left-wing domestic terrorism,” including what he called “the terrorist group antifa.”
Under U.S. law, National Guard troops are generally directed by governors and used for emergencies such as natural disasters.
A president may federalize the Guard under limited circumstances, but Trump’s repeated use of those powers against the wishes of state leaders has drawn widespread legal and political challenges.
A trial court in Los Angeles has already ruled that Trump’s earlier deployment of Guard forces there was illegal, a decision the administration is also appealing.
Source: Reuters
Written By Rodney Mbua
