A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order on Thursday, granting Illinois’ appeal to halt President Trump’s deployment of National Guard forces in Chicago.
District Judge April Perry, appointed by Biden, approved the order following a lawsuit against the Trump administration, which involved the president’s plan to send 300 Illinois Guardsmen and an additional 200 from Texas to assist federal immigration officials amid violent protests in the city.
The ruling from Perry halts “the federalization and deployment of the National Guard of the United States within Illinois,” for a minimum of two weeks.
During a hearing revealing her decision, Perry remarked, “I have seen no credible evidence that there is a threat of rebellion in Illinois,” challenging the Trump administration’s portrayal of the anti-ICE demonstrations occurring in the city, as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times.
The judge has yet to elaborate on the specifics of her ruling but indicated a written order would be made available on Friday.
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Perry continued, “Deportations are on the rise. Arrests have increased… The courthouse is functioning as it always has. Federal laws are being enforced, but they are also being violated as they have been throughout history. There is no proof that the president is unable, utilizing regular forces, to execute U.S. laws.”
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul initiated the lawsuit against the Trump administration earlier in the week, stating that the “deployment of federal troops to Illinois is blatantly unlawful.”
Raoul requested the court to “prevent the illegal, hazardous, and unconstitutional federalization of National Guard members from both Illinois and Texas.”
The administration argued in its response that Trump possesses the authority to deploy troops, claiming that “the violent actions and threats from large groups of protesters directed at those enforcing federal immigration laws and federal property suggest a threat of rebellion against federal authority, hindering federal officials’ ability to uphold the law.”
The Justice Department cited ongoing protests at the ICE facility in Broadview along with incidents of individuals accused of attacking a federal law enforcement vehicle and allegedly offering a $10,000 bounty on a Border Patrol commander in the area.
Judge Perry, however, expressed concerns that having the National Guard present in Chicago might “likely lead to civil unrest.”
Perry stated, “I believe that permitting the National Guard to deploy at the Broadview processing center or any other place in Illinois will only escalate tensions,” emphasizing the potential for increased conflict. The Department of Homeland Security, responsible for overseeing ICE, did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comments.
