News|Donald TrumpIllinois lawsuit seeks to block Trump sending National Guard to ChicagoOfficials accuse US President Donald Trump of ‘unlawful and unconstitutional’ use of National Guard in latest effort to stop deployment.
Legal proceedings have been initiated by the state of Illinois to prevent the deployment of the National Guard by President Donald Trump. The lawsuit, filed on Mon, Oct 6, 2025, by Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and Chicago city officials, follows…
Legal proceedings have been initiated by the state of Illinois to prevent the deployment of the National Guard by President Donald Trump. The lawsuit, filed on Mon, Oct 6, 2025, by Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and Chicago city officials, follows a temporary block by a federal judge in Oregon against similar actions in Portland.
President Trump has proposed federalizing 300 National Guard troops from Illinois and deploying an additional 400 from Texas. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has criticized this plan, labeling it as "unlawful and unconstitutional." Attorney General Raoul emphasized that US citizens should not face military occupation due to disagreements with federal leadership.
Since January, the Trump administration has deployed National Guard troops to Los Angeles, Washington, DC, and has considered deploying them to other major cities. A federal judge previously ruled that the deployment of troops to Los Angeles amid immigration protests violated federal law.
Legal proceedings have been initiated by the state of Illinois to prevent the deployment of the National Guard by President Donald Trump.
Judicial Rulings and Administration Responses
In Oregon, Judge Karin Immergut temporarily blocked the deployment of 200 National Guard troops from California, citing a lack of rebellion threats during anti-immigration protests. Judge Immergut questioned the administration’s adherence to her prior orders, highlighting potential circumvention.
According to US law, the military cannot be used for domestic law enforcement unless the Insurrection Act is invoked. However, the National Guard can support federal law enforcement under specific circumstances.
President Trump has called civil disturbances the "enemy within" and vowed to address issues in US cities. Beyond the National Guard, federal law enforcement and immigration agents have been deployed across the country, leading to arrests and incidents such as the shooting of a woman in Chicago’s southwest during federal operations.
Based on reporting by Al Jazeera.
