A US district judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from deploying national guard troops in Chicago for immigration enforcement, ruling that there is no evidence of a rebellion in Illinois. The decision by Judge April Perry came after a two-hour hearing and will remain in effect for two weeks.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker welcomed the ruling, stating: 'Donald Trump is not a king – and his administration is not above the law.' Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, who attended the hearing, called it a 'win for the people of Chicago and the rule of law.'
The Trump administration had ordered hundreds of national guard soldiers to Chicago to assist with immigration crackdowns, citing high crime rates. However, state lawyers argued the deployment was a constitutional crisis, with attorney Christopher Wells saying the government 'plowed ahead anyway. Now, troops are here.'
Justice Department lawyer Eric Hamilton defended the move, claiming the Chicago area was rife with 'tragic lawlessness' and that there was a danger of rebellion. Judge Perry criticised the Department of Homeland Security for providing 'simply unreliable' information about the situation.
National guard members from Texas and Illinois arrived at a US army reserve centre in Elwood this week, with all 500 troops activated for 60 days under US Northern Command. The White House said the president had 'exercised his lawful authority' and expected to be vindicated on appeal.
In a separate ruling, Judge Sara Ellis issued a preliminary injunction restricting federal agents' use of force against protesters and journalists in northern Illinois. The order also requires agents to wear visible identification.
