President Donald Trump is federalizing 300 National guard troops in Illinois. The move comes after weeks of threats and goes against the wishes of Gov. JB Pritzker. Pritzker announced the news Saturday, shortly before the White House did.
What does it mean to ‘federalize’ the National Guard?
Each state maintains its own Army National Guard and Air National Guard, all under the command of the governor. However, during emergencies, troops can be “federalized,” meaning they report to the president.
In this case, the White House says it’s sending troops to quell “ongoing violent riots and lawlessness” and “protect federal officers and assets.”
Who are the other federal officers in Chicago?
Over the last month, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has ramped up operations in Illinois as part of “Operation Midway Blitz.”
When protests broke out Saturday in Brighton Park, ICE deployed pepper balls and tear gas on the crowd. The previous day, agents dropped a smoke bomb in Logan Square and handcuffed Ald. Jessie Fuentes (26th) at a local hospital.
Meanwhile, protests continue at the ICE facility in Broadview, which is functioning as a “de facto detention center.”
What is the National Guard allowed to do?
The Posse Comitatus Act bars federal troops from participating in civilian law enforcement unless authorized by Congress. However, detainments are a gray area.
The National Guard can also directly assist ICE when approved by the governor — that’s not happening here, as Pritzker continues to slam the deployment.
Under the Illinois TRUST Act, local police aren’t allowed to aid in federal immigration enforcement. But officers have been doing crowd control in Broadview.
Is all this legal?
Earlier this summer, when Trump federalized and deployed National Guard troops to Los Angeles, a judge ruled it violated the Posse Comitatus Act. An appeal is ongoing.
More recently, Trump federalized 200 members of the Oregon National Guard to be deployed to Portland. A federal judge initially blocked the move, but on Sunday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Trump is instead sending troops from his state.
On Monday, both the city of Chicago and the state of Illinois sued the Trump administration to prevent National Guard deployment.
Where would the troops go?
We don’t know yet. We also don’t know when they’ll arrive, but rest assured we'll be updating you every morning in Hey Chicago.
In the meantime, here’s what to do if you encounter immigration agents.
