Illinois and Oregon Challenge Trump’s National Guard Deployment Amid Immigration Crackdown
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A legal battle is escalating between the Trump administration and democratic-led states over the deployment of National Guard troops to cities amid a heightened immigration enforcement operation.
Illinois and Oregon have filed lawsuits challenging president Trump’s authority to federalize National Guard units and deploy them to their cities, following a weekend marked by escalating tensions and a shooting involving a federal agent in Chicago. The legal challenges come on the heels of a judge blocking a similar deployment in Portland, Oregon, signaling a broader conflict over federal power and states’ rights.
Chicago Sues to Halt Troop Deployment
On Monday, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker announced a lawsuit aimed at preventing the deployment of
Violent Weekend Fuels Tensions
The legal action was prompted, in part, by a volatile weekend in Chicago. Authorities reported that a woman was shot by a federal agent after Border Patrol vehicles were surrounded and struck by other vehicles. Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling defended his officers, rejecting suggestions they were collaborating with federal agents in such situations.
The Trump administration has consistently portrayed cities facing immigration challenges as being overrun by violence and lawlessness. However, officials in Illinois and Oregon argue that military intervention is unnecessary and is, in fact, exacerbating the situation.
Portland Secures Temporary Restraining Order
The legal battle extends to Oregon, where U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut on Sunday granted a temporary restraining order blocking the deployment of National Guard troops to the state. The order prevents troops from being sent from any state, including the District of Columbia.
The judge expressed incredulity that the administration attempted to circumvent her initial ruling by seeking troops from California and then Texas, questioning, “Aren’t defendants simply circumventing my order? Why is this appropriate?” White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt criticized the decision, asserting the president’s authority as commander in chief.
Federal Agents and Local Response
The presence of armed Border Patrol agents making arrests near Chicago landmarks has heightened anxieties among residents already concerned about the ongoing immigration crackdown, which began last month and has focused on immigrant-heavy and largely Latino neighborhoods.
In response, Chicago Mayor Brandon johnson issued an executive order Monday prohibiting federal immigration agents from using city-owned property – including parking lots and garages – as staging areas for enforcement operations. Mayor Katrina thompson in Broadview, citing safety concerns, has limited protest hours near a local ICE facility to between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Legal Challenges to Federal Tactics
The ACLU of Illinois has also filed a lawsuit against trump, the Department of Homeland Security, ICE, Border Patrol, and other agencies, alleging a campaign of violence and intimidation against peaceful protesters and journalists demonstrating outside the Broadview ICE facility. The lawsuit claims federal agents used “indiscriminate” and “violent force,” including tear gas, rubber bullets, and flash grenades, infringing on First Amendment rights.
A DHS spokesperson responded to the lawsuit, stating, “The First Amendment protects speech and peaceful assembly – not rioting.” The department acknowledged an incident on saturday in which agents shot a woman after their vehicles were “rammed by vehicles and boxed in by 10 cars.”
Declining Crime Rates Amidst Federal Intervention
Despite the administration’s claims of widespread lawlessness, data indicates that most violent crime across the U.S. has been declining in recent years. In Portland, homicides decreased by 51% from January through June, falling to 17 this year compared to the same period in 2024.
Since assuming office, President Trump has either sent or considered sending troops to ten cities, including Baltimore, Memphis, Tennessee, Washington D.C., New Orleans, and several cities in California. A federal judge previously ruled that the administration “willfully” broke federal law by deploying National Guard troops to Los Angeles during immigration raids.
Associated Press reporters Sophia Tareen in Chicago, Todd Richmond in Madison, Wisconsin, and Ed White in Detroit contributed to this story.
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