National Guard Troops Mobilized in Chicago Amid Immigration Protests

Sat Oct 11 2025 03:32:51 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

In a response to escalating immigration protests in Chicago, hundreds of National Guard troops from Texas have been deployed to support federal initiatives, drawing mixed reactions from local officials and raising legal questions.

Hundreds of National Guard troops from Texas have arrived in Chicago to assist with President Trump's immigration enforcement efforts. The deployment has sparked considerable opposition from local officials, particularly Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, who condemns the federal action as an overreach of authority. This comes as the city witnesses a surge in protests against immigration policies. Legal challenges to the deployment are ongoing, with implications for the use of military resources in domestic matters.

Hundreds of National Guard troops from Texas have arrived at an army training centre outside Chicago to support US President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown.

Trump has branded Chicago a war zone, following recent protests against federal immigration officials in the third-largest US city.

The deployment comes amid opposition from local officials. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has accused the Trump administration of an authoritarian march and stated that the state would use every lever at our disposal to stop this power grab.

Sources indicated that some troops could begin their assignments as early as Wednesday. Temporary living quarters have been established at the Army Reserve Training Center, situated about 50 miles south-west of Chicago, and fencing was placed around the facility.

Local officials have reported receiving few details on the troop assignments, amid the backdrop of Trump’s assertion that troops are necessary to quell violence and support deportation initiatives in Democratic-controlled areas.

National Guard troops possess limited capabilities; they do not have law enforcement powers to make arrests or conduct searches but are meant to protect federal officers and property.

As part of this initiative, Trump had previously deployed troops to cities like Los Angeles, Memphis, and Washington, DC. However, a federal judge temporarily barred their deployment in Portland, while permitting the Chicago deployment to move forward for the time being.

Chicago has seen an uptick in protests centered around immigration enforcement, especially outside ICE facilities, influenced by recent incidents involving US Border Patrol personnel.

A hearing related to legal challenges against the troop deployment has been scheduled for Thursday, with Chicago’s Mayor Brandon Johnson denouncing the federal move as illegal and unconstitutional. In parallel, Johnson signed an executive order to prohibit ICE operations on city-owned property.

Questions surrounding the legality and constitutionality of deploying National Guard troops for domestic issues persist, given the longstanding legal framework that typically reserves such decision-making to state governors. Trump has hinted at the possibility of invoking the Insurrection Act should courts impede his deployment plans, thereby allowing him to utilize active-duty military personnel for law enforcement in the US.