WASHINGTON, Oct 8 — A Pentagon official confirmed yesterday that 200 Texas National Guard troops have arrived in Illinois ahead of a controversial deployment in Chicago, despite strong opposition from local Democratic leaders.
WASHINGTON, Oct 8 — A Pentagon official confirmed yesterday that 200 Texas National Guard troops have arrived in Illinois ahead of a controversial deployment in Chicago, despite strong opposition from local Democratic leaders.
US President Donald Trump has already deployed troops in Los Angeles and Washington, DC, and has ordered similar operations in Memphis, Chicago, and Portland. He has also threatened to invoke emergency powers if courts attempt to block his actions.
Trump — who recently suggested using American cities as “training grounds” for US military forces — has been accused of overstating unrest in Los Angeles and crime levels in Washington to justify the deployments. A federal judge also noted similar exaggerations regarding Portland.
According to the Pentagon official, the troops from Texas were sent to Illinois to “protect federal functions, personnel, and property” and have been mobilised for an initial 60-day period. They were spotted yesterday at a military installation in Elwood, southwest of Chicago.
The move has drawn sharp criticism from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, who said the troops “should stay the hell out of Illinois,” warning that any deployment without state consent would constitute an “invasion.”
Over the weekend, Trump authorised the deployment of 700 National Guard troops to Chicago, prompting a lawsuit from Illinois officials accusing him of using the military to “punish his political enemies.”
“The American people should not live under the threat of occupation by their own military, especially not because their local leaders disagree with the president,” said the Illinois Attorney General and Chicago’s legal counsel in a joint statement.
US District Judge April Perry, appointed by former president Joe Biden, declined to issue an immediate restraining order but scheduled a full hearing for tomorrow.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the deployment, calling Chicago “a war zone.”
Trump has also targeted Portland, where an increased federal presence tied to his mass deportation drive has sparked protests outside immigration facilities. The president described the city as “war-ravaged” and plagued by violent crime.
However, in a separate ruling halting troop deployment to Oregon, US District Judge Karin Immergut wrote that Trump’s claims were “untethered to the facts,” noting that protests in Portland did not pose a “danger of rebellion” and could be managed by regular law enforcement.
Following that setback, Trump suggested invoking the Insurrection Act — which allows a president to deploy military forces domestically to quell unrest — to send more troops into Democrat-led cities.
“We have the Insurrection Act for a reason,” Trump said. “If people are being killed and courts or governors try to block us, I’ll use it.” — AFP
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