Chicago Takes a Stand: Legal Battle Over National Guard Deployment
Illinois is challenging President Trump's decision to deploy federalized National Guard troops in Chicago, arguing it violates federal law and the Constitution. The lawsuit adds to several legal actions against Trump's military deployments in U.S. cities for domestic policing and immigration enforcement. The courts are still ruling on this controversial issue.
On Monday, Illinois filed a lawsuit to prevent U.S. President Donald Trump from sending federalized National Guard troops into Chicago's streets, adding to a series of legal disputes over the president's authority to deploy military forces within the country. This legal move comes after a federal judge in Oregon temporarily barred Trump's administration from deploying National Guard troops to Portland.
This Illinois lawsuit marks the fourth legal challenge against Trump's use of military forces in U.S. cities to control protests and support domestic immigration enforcement. Although courts have not finalized decisions in these cases, judges in California and Oregon suggest Trump may have exceeded his authority. The lawsuit challenges the administration's decision to federalize around 300 members of the Illinois National Guard over gubernatorial objections, backed by claims the troop deployment serves only as a pretextual response to immigration protestors in Chicago.
The state of Illinois argues that Trump's actions breach the Posse Comitatus Act, which limits military usage for domestic matters, and infringe upon the U.S. Constitution's 10th Amendment, thereby undermining Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker's control of the state's National Guard. The White House defended the deployments, arguing the need to protect against Chicago's "violent riots," while Illinois maintains protests are primarily peaceful and exacerbated by federal actions.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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