Legal Battles Escalate Over National Guard Deployments

A federal judge in Chicago has issued a temporary injunction against the deployment of National Guard troops ordered by President Donald Trump in Illinois, following a similar block in Portland, Oregon, by another federal judge. The decision has fueled ongoing legal challenges to Trump's strategy of deploying military forces in U.S. cities.

Judge April Perry, articulating her ruling, said that allowing Guard soldiers in Illinois would exacerbate tensions, rejecting government arguments about safeguarding federal officers and property. Meanwhile, a federal appeals court in San Francisco may allow troop deployments in Portland, highlighting disparate regional rulings.

The Trump administration, asserting the need to curb violence, faces opposition from Democratic governors who accuse it of overstating riot threats. Legal outcomes may redefine presidential powers in domestic troop deployment, especially as protests persist in several cities. The administration plans to contest the rulings.

(With inputs from agencies.)