President Donald Trump has authorised the deployment of 300 National Guard troops to Chicago to address what he says is out-of-control crime.
The move came hours after immigration authorities faced off with protesters in the Democrat-run city, involving a confrontation where an armed woman was shot after she and others rammed their cars into law enforcement vehicles.
State and local leaders have criticized Trump's plans, accusing him of abusing federal power. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker described the president's actions as an attempt to manufacture a crisis.
Trump's announcement follows a federal judge's temporary ruling in Portland, Oregon, that blocked the administration from deploying 200 troops there. Judge Karin Immergut deemed Trump's claims about conditions in Portland untethered to the facts and emphasized that deploying military forces without state consent risks undermining the state's sovereignty.
There are indications that legal challenges may arise regarding any deployment in Chicago, and it remains uncertain whether troops have yet been mobilized in the city.
Chicago is facing protests regarding its immigration enforcement, many of which are occurring outside US Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities. The White House supported Trump's decision, stating, Amidst ongoing violent riots and lawlessness, that local leaders like [Gov] Pritzker have refused to step in to quell, President Trump has authorized 300 national guardsmen to protect federal officers and assets.
The escalation of immigration enforcement protests has raised tensions, particularly after the shooting incident involving a woman who, according to DHS, approached law enforcement with a firearm. Her condition remains unclear.
