Federal Appeals Court Halts National Guard Deployment in Chicago Amid Protests

A federal appeals court has temporarily blocked the deployment of National Guard troops in Chicago, allowing them to remain under federal control but not be deployed on city streets. The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals upheld U.S. District Judge April Perry's earlier decision denying the White House's request to deploy National Guard troops in response to a lawsuit filed by Illinois and Chicago officials. However, the court granted the administration's request to keep the troops under federal control, issuing an administrative stay on the federalization issue.

White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson stated, "Amidst ongoing violent riots and lawlessness, that local leaders like Pritzker have refused to step in to quell, President Trump has exercised his lawful authority to protect federal officers and assets. President Trump will not turn a blind eye to the lawlessness plaguing American cities."

The Defense Department had announced the federalization of approximately 200 National Guard soldiers from Texas and 300 from Illinois under Title 10, deploying them to the Chicago area for at least 60 days to protect federal personnel and property. The ICE processing facility in Broadview, a Chicago suburb, has been a focal point of confrontations between protesters and law enforcement.

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul welcomed the court's decision, stating, "The court's order today keeps the troops off the streets of Chicago, Broadview or any other community in Illinois. This is a victory for our state. This is a victory for state and local law enforcement — who know their communities and who protect the right of their communities to speak truth to power."

This legal development mirrors a similar situation in Portland, Oregon, where a federal judge recently issued a temporary restraining order blocking the federalization and deployment of Oregon National Guard troops. The judge also halted the deployment of additional National Guard troops from other states to Oregon, following the Pentagon's plan to send 200 California National Guard troops to Portland.