The state of Illinois and Chicago are suing the Trump administration over their plans to deploy the National Guard.
“The American people, regardless of where they reside, should not live under the threat of occupation by the United States military, particularly not simply because their city or state leadership has fallen out of a president’s favor,” the lawsuit states in its introduction.
In the lawsuit, which names both the state of Illinois and the city of Chicago as plaintiffs, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul writes, “Defendants’ deployment of federalized troops to Illinois is patently unlawful.” He continues, “Plaintiffs ask this court to halt the illegal, dangerous, and unconstitutional federalization of members of the National Guard of the United States, including both the Illinois and Texas National Guard.”
Raoul is asking for a temporary restraining order, saying deployment will cause “additional unrest,” “mistrust of police” an dharm to the state’s economy.
Over the weekend, a federal memo obtained by CBS News revealed up to 300 members of the Illinois National Guard would be federalized and deployed to “protect federal property” and “government personnel performing federal functions.”
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker confirmed that memo and said he had also been told an additional 400 other National Guard members from Texas would be deployed to Chicago and Portland, Oregon.
A federal judge temporarily blocked the deployment of the National Guard to Portland on Sunday.
The quickly unfolding developments come as the administration portrays the Democrat-led cities as war-ravaged and lawless and amid Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration. Officials in both cities have disputed the president’s characterizations, saying military intervention isn’t needed and it’s federal involvement that’s inflaming the situation.
The lawsuit alleges that “these advances in President Trump’s long-declared ‘War’ on Chicago and Illinois are unlawful and dangerous.”
“The American people, regardless of where they reside, should not live under the threat of occupation by the United States military, particularly not simply because their city or state leadership has fallen out of a president’s favor,” the lawsuit says.
U.S. Senators for Illinois Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth released a statement in conjunction with other Illinois Democrats, demanding Mr. Trump reverse his decision to deploy National Guard troops.
“We write to urge you to reverse your reckless decision to federalize and deploy Texas and Illinois National Guard troops to Illinois. Your use of the military to sow fear and chaos in American cities, including over the objections of several Governors, is unconstitutional and un-American, infringes on individual and states’ rights, and threatens to undermine military readiness and morale,” wrote the lawmakers in part.
Pritzker and Raoul will hold a news conference at 2 p.m. Monday, where they will also be joined by Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. CBS News Chicago will stream that news conference live on our 24/7 news stream and on air.
contributed to this report.
