A judge blocked the deployment of National Guard troops in the Chicago area for two weeks, finding no substantial evidence that a “danger of rebellion” is brewing in Illinois.
It’s a victory for Democratic officials who lead the state and city and have traded insults with President Donald Trump about his drive to put troops on the ground in major urban areas.
U.S. District Judge April Perry didn’t lay out details of any order or say what part of the request she was granting as she spoke from the bench in her crowded courtroom.
The lawsuit was filed by Chicago and Illinois to stop the deployments of Illinois and Texas Guard members. Some troops were already at an immigration building in the Chicago suburb of Broadview when Perry heard arguments.
The building has been the site of occasional clashes between protesters and agents. Perry expressed skepticism of the federal government’s characterization of protests in Broadview.
She said the actions of the Department of Homeland Security are largely rooted in President Trump’s “animus toward Illinois elected officials.”
The city and state have called the deployments unnecessary and illegal, with officials asserting that protests at the temporary detention facility for U.S. immigration enforcement have never come close to disrupting federal operations.
Trump has portrayed Chicago as a “hellhole” of crime, despite statistics showing a significant drop in criminal activities.
As the complexities around deploying military force in domestic matters unfold, further challenges and legal debates are likely to emerge, specifically regarding the balance of power between federal and state authorities.
