National Guard members from Texas are in Illinois in Trump’s latest move to send troops to cities
**Texas National Guard Troops Arrive in Illinois Amid Opposition to Federal Deployment**
ELWOOD, Ill. (AP) — Members of the Texas National Guard began settling in at 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 a lawsuit and strong opposition from Democratic elected leaders.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, who has criticized President Donald Trump for using troops as “political props” and “pawns,” stated that he was not given prior notice from Washington regarding the deployment. The Associated Press confirmed the presence of military personnel wearing Texas National Guard patches at the U.S. Army Reserve Center in Elwood, located 55 miles (89 kilometers) southwest of Chicago.
Emergency Disaster Services trucks were seen arriving and departing, delivering portable toilets and other supplies. Trailers were arranged in rows, and additional fencing was installed around the perimeter.
The exact mission of the Texas National Guard in Illinois has not been made clear. However, the Trump administration has been conducting a forceful immigration enforcement operation in Chicago, the nation’s third-largest city. Protests have frequently erupted outside an immigration facility in Broadview, a suburb of Chicago.
President Trump has often characterized Chicago negatively, calling it a “hell hole” plagued by crime, although police statistics show significant declines in many crime categories, including homicides.
### Legal and Political Conflicts Over Troop Deployment
The administration’s efforts to deploy military personnel within the United States amidst local opposition have sparked disputes with governors from Democratic-led states. Illinois and the city of Chicago have urged a federal judge to intervene and halt what they describe as “Trump’s long-declared ‘War’” on the state. A court hearing on their lawsuit is scheduled for Thursday.
In a similar case, a judge in Oregon recently blocked the deployment of National Guard troops to Portland.
### Illinois Governor Voices Concerns
Governor Pritzker had anticipated that Illinois National Guard troops would be activated alongside 400 from Texas. Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, shared a photo on social media of troops boarding a plane, declaring they were “ever ready.”
Pritzker revealed that he “literally canceled everything” on Saturday, expecting a call from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, yet no communication was received. Speaking on Tuesday at a gathering in Minneapolis of business, cultural, and political leaders, he expressed frustration saying, “They have not picked up the phone and called me. Not once.”
### Legal Limitations on Military Deployment
The nearly 150-year-old Posse Comitatus Act limits the military’s involvement in enforcing domestic laws. However, President Trump has indicated he might invoke the Insurrection Act, which allows deployment of active-duty military in states facing insurrections or defying federal law.
For security reasons, the Federal Aviation Administration has imposed flight restrictions over the Army Reserve Center in Elwood until December 6.
Among local residents, opinions about the deployment are mixed. Robert Hartley, 62, who works near the site at Raceway Pizza & More, expressed doubts about the use of the Guard. “I think the president might be overstepping his boundaries,” he said.
### Tensions Heightened by Immigration Enforcement Actions
The presence of armed Border Patrol agents making arrests near well-known landmarks has intensified concerns among Chicagoans following an immigration crackdown that began last month. The enforcement efforts have focused on immigrant-heavy, predominantly Latino neighborhoods.
In response, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an executive order on Monday banning federal immigration agents and others from using city-owned properties—such as parking lots, garages, and vacant lots—as staging areas for enforcement activities.
### Deployment Plans in Other Cities
In Memphis, Tennessee, Police Chief Cerelyn Davis reported that National Guard troops could arrive by Friday. A small group of commanders is already in the city handling planning and logistics.
Republican Governor Bill Lee, who supports the deployment, stated that troops would be deputized by the U.S. Marshals Service to “play a critical support role” for local law enforcement, though specific details of that role remain unclear.
### Broader Military Strategy Across U.S. Cities
Since starting his second term, President Trump has sent or proposed sending troops to 10 cities, including Baltimore; Memphis; the District of Columbia; New Orleans; and the California cities of Oakland, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.
Despite these deployments, violent crime rates across much of the U.S. have declined in recent years. In Chicago, homicides fell 31% to 278 through August, according to police data. Portland, Oregon, experienced a 51% decrease in homicides—from January through June—with 17 this year, compared to the same period in 2024.
### Continued Protests and Legal Challenges in Portland
In Portland, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility has been the focus of nightly protests for months, peaking in June when local police declared a riot. Smaller clashes have continued since then. Over the past weekend, large crowds gathered outside the facility, prompting federal agents to fire tear gas.
An appeals court has scheduled arguments for Thursday regarding the government’s efforts to overturn lower court rulings that blocked deployment of the Guard in Portland.
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek said she 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 emphasized.
Portland Police Chief Bob Day stated that his department needs better coordination with federal agents as it plans to assign more officers to 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 Keith Wilson that if the city did not increase security at the ICE building, obtain backup from local law enforcement, and implement other safety measures, “we were going to send four-times the amount of federal officers here.”
### Previous Legal Rulings Against Military Deployments
In September, a federal judge ruled that the Trump administration “willfully” violated federal law by deploying Guard troops in Los Angeles amid protests related to immigration raids.
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*Reported by Fernando from Chicago. Additional reporting by 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/
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