Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has accused the Trump administration of issuing an “ultimatum” to mobilise 300 members of the state’s National Guard, calling the move “outrageous and un-American”. In a statement shared on social media, Pritzker said the Department of War demanded he call up troops or the federal government would do so itself.
“For Donald Trump, this has never been about safety. This is about control,” Pritzker said, adding that there is “no need for military troops on the ground in the State of Illinois”. He refused to comply, vowing not to “further Trump’s acts of aggression against our people”. The president has threatened to send troops to Chicago since August, when he described the city as “a mess”.
The standoff comes amid heightened tensions in Broadview, a Chicago suburb, where a US citizen was shot following a confrontation with Border Patrol agents. According to the Department of Homeland Security, agents were “rammed by vehicles” and “boxed in” by ten cars, with one driver armed with a semi-automatic weapon. Agents fired defensive shots, and the woman later drove herself to hospital. No officers were injured.
Protests outside an ICE facility in Broadview have escalated, with reports of pepper balls and tear gas being used. Last week, over 200 rioters blocked access to a gate, while another 30 attempted to trespass on federal property. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said she was blocked from entering the municipal building, which receives federal funding.
Similar clashes have occurred in Portland, Oregon, where the Trump administration federalised 200 National Guard troops. Oregon officials have sued, arguing the move infringes on state sovereignty. A federal judge temporarily blocked the deployment on Saturday evening.
