The Trump administration plans to federalize 300 members of the Illinois National Guard, Democratic Governor JB Pritzker said on Saturday.
Pritzker stated that the Pentagon informed the guard in the morning that the troops would be called up. While he did not indicate when or where the deployment would occur, President Donald Trump has frequently suggested sending troops to Chicago.
“This morning, the Trump Administration’s Department of War gave me an ultimatum: call up your troops, or we will,” Pritzker said 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 situation in Illinois mirrors similar federal law enforcement escalations seen across other cities such as Baltimore and Memphis. Previously, Trump's administration deployed the National Guard to Los Angeles during the summer and in Washington, D.C., amid heightened tensions.
Pritzker described Trump's actions as a “manufactured performance,” warning that federalization would disrupt the lives of the state's National Guard members, separating them from their families and normal jobs.
For Donald Trump, this has never been about safety. This is about control,” said Pritzker, underscoring coordination between state, county, and local law enforcement to ensure the safety of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s facility in Broadview, near Chicago.
Federal officials reported the arrests of 13 protesters near the facility, which has faced heightened attention during the administration’s recent surge in immigration enforcement activities.
As tensions rise, Trump is also facing lawsuits from city and state officials to prevent troop deployments. A U.S. District Court judge is expected to issue a ruling soon regarding the case.
