Illinois National Guard Faces Federal Deployment Amid Tensions

Sat Oct 11 2025 03:36:24 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Democratic Governor JB Pritzker reveals plans to federalize 300 Illinois National Guard members as tensions rise over the Trump administration's law enforcement strategies. The governor calls the move 'outrageous' and a violation of state sovereignty.

In a controversial decision, the Trump administration intends to federalize 300 members of the Illinois National Guard. Governor JB Pritzker condemned the federal ultimatum, asserting the deployment undermines the state's control over its military resources. This development reflects a broader trend of increasing federal law enforcement presence across various U.S. cities, raising concerns about safety and civil freedoms.

The Trump administration plans to federalize 300 members of the Illinois National Guard, Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker said Saturday.

Pritzker stated that the guard received word from the Pentagon in the morning about the troops' call-up. He did not specify the destination or timeline for deployment, but President Donald Trump has previously indicated intentions to send troops to Chicago.

“This morning, the Trump Administration’s Department of War gave me an ultimatum: call up your troops, or we will,” Pritzker remarked in a statement. “It is absolutely outrageous and un-American to demand a Governor send military troops within our own borders and against our will.”

The Illinois governor emphasized that this move would disrupt the lives of the National Guard troops, pulling them away from their families and regular jobs.

The escalation of federal law enforcement in Illinois mirrors similar measures in Baltimore and Memphis, where Trump has deployed National Guard troops amid rising unrest and protests.

Pritzker criticized Trump’s intentions, characterizing them as a “manufactured performance” aimed at controlling the narrative and asserting federal power over local jurisdictions. He referenced ongoing coordination among state, county, and local law enforcement to ensure the safety of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Broadview facility on the outskirts of Chicago.

Federal officials recently reported the arrest of 13 individuals protesting near the ICE facility, which has faced scrutiny amid heightened immigration enforcement actions this fall. The governor expressed concern that these developments seem less about public safety and more about control, reflecting a troubling trend in federal-state relations.