**Texas National Guard Arrive in Illinois Amid Trump Administration’s Controversial Troop Deployment**
*ELWOOD, Ill. (AP)* — National Guard members from Texas were settling into an Army Reserve center in Illinois on Tuesday, marking the most visible sign yet of the Trump administration’s plan to deploy troops to the Chicago area. This move comes despite ongoing lawsuits and strong opposition from Democratic elected leaders.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, who has accused President Donald Trump of using troops as “political props” and “pawns,” said he was not informed in advance by Washington about the deployment. The Associated Press observed military personnel in Texas National Guard uniforms at the U.S. Army Reserve Center in Elwood, located 55 miles (89 kilometers) southwest of Chicago.
Emergency Disaster Services trucks were seen moving in and out, delivering portable toilets and other supplies, while trailers were arranged in rows and extra fencing was placed around the perimeter. The Guard’s specific mission remains unclear, although the Trump administration is carrying out an aggressive immigration enforcement operation in the nation’s third-largest city. Protests have frequently taken place outside an immigration building in Broadview, just outside Chicago.
President Trump has repeatedly described Chicago in hostile terms, labeling it a “hell hole” of crime. However, police statistics indicate significant declines in most crimes, including homicides.
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### Conflict Over Military Deployment on U.S. Soil
The president’s effort to deploy military forces on U.S. soil against local opposition has ignited conflict with governors of Democratic “blue” states. Illinois and Chicago have petitioned a federal judge to halt what they call “Trump’s long-declared ‘War’” on the state. A court hearing regarding their lawsuit is scheduled for Thursday.
In Oregon, a judge recently blocked the deployment of Guard troops to Portland, Oregon.
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### Illinois: Troops Not Needed, No Notice Given
Governor Pritzker anticipated on Monday that Illinois National Guard troops would be activated alongside 400 from Texas. Meanwhile, Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott posted a photo on social media showing troops boarding a plane and declared the force “ever ready.”
Pritzker shared that he “literally canceled everything” last Saturday, expecting a call from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. “They have not picked up the phone and called me. Not once,” Pritzker said on Tuesday while speaking to a group of business, cultural, and political leaders in Minneapolis.
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### Legal and Operational Challenges
The nearly 150-year-old Posse Comitatus Act restricts the military’s involvement in enforcing domestic laws. However, Trump has expressed willingness to invoke the Insurrection Act, which allows a president to deploy active duty military forces in states unable to suppress an insurrection or defying federal law.
For security, the Federal Aviation Administration has imposed flight restrictions over the Army Reserve Center until December 6.
Locals have mixed reactions. Robert Hartley, 62, who works at Raceway Pizza & More near the site, expressed doubts about the deployment. “I think the president might be overstepping his boundaries,” Hartley said.
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### Ongoing Tensions in Chicago and Other Cities
The presence of armed Border Patrol agents making arrests near notable landmarks has heightened concerns among Chicago residents, who were already uneasy following an immigration crackdown that began last month. Agents have focused operations on immigrant-heavy, largely Latino neighborhoods.
On Monday, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an executive order prohibiting federal immigration agents and others from using city-owned property such as parking lots, garages, and vacant lots as staging areas for enforcement activities.
In Memphis, Tennessee, Police Chief Cerelyn Davis indicated that National Guard troops could arrive by Friday. A small group of commanders is already in the city organizing planning and logistics. Republican Governor Bill Lee, who supports the effort, said the troops will be deputized by the U.S. Marshals Service to “play a critical support role” for local law enforcement, though the precise nature of that role remains undefined.
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### Broader Military Strategy Across U.S. Cities
Since beginning his second term, President Trump has deployed or discussed deploying troops to ten cities, including Baltimore; Memphis; the District of Columbia; New Orleans; and the California cities of Oakland, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.
Interestingly, violent crime has generally declined across the country in recent years. Chicago has seen a 31% drop in homicides through August, with 278 reported. Portland’s homicides decreased by 51%, from 35 to 17 during the first half of 2024.
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### Protests and Legal Battles in Portland
In Portland, nightly protests have taken place for months outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility. The protests intensified in June when local police declared a riot, with smaller clashes continuing since. Over the past weekend, larger crowds gathered outside the facility, where federal agents responded by firing tear gas.
A federal appeals court has scheduled arguments for Thursday to consider the government’s bid to overturn lower court rulings blocking the Guard’s deployment in Portland.
Oregon Democratic Governor Tina Kotek met with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Tuesday, telling her there is “no insurrection” in the state. “Oregon is united against military policing in our communities,” Kotek said.
Portland Police Chief Bob Day acknowledged the need for closer coordination with federal agents and said the department aims to increase its officer presence at the ICE facility. “We’ve been trying to coordinate that with the federal response because we have differing policies, differing expectations around procedures,” he explained.
Secretary Noem told Fox News on Tuesday that she warned Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler that if the city did not enhance security at the ICE building, arrange additional local law enforcement support, and take other safety steps, “we were going to send four times the amount of federal officers here.”
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### Legal Setbacks for the Administration
In September, a federal judge ruled that the Trump administration “willfully” violated federal law by deploying Guard troops to Los Angeles amidst protests against immigration raids.
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*Reporting by Fernando Salinas in Chicago; additional contributions from Claire Rush in Portland, Oregon; Adrian Sainz in Memphis, Tennessee; Sarah Raza in Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Scott Bauer in Madison, Wisconsin; and Ed White in Detroit.*
https://wgntv.com/news/national/ap-us-news/ap-illinois-braces-for-possible-national-guard-arrival-while-lawsuit-challenging-deployment-simmers/
