Authorities have been strategizing for several weeks to dispatch the National Guard to Chicago, with Trump advocating for an enhanced law enforcement campaign to curb crime
The Trump administration is set to send the National Guard to Chicago, following a similar deployment in Los Angeles earlier this summer. This move aligns with the administration's unusual efforts to use the military for law enforcement and immigration actions within the US' borders.
In June, about 700 active-duty Marines and 4,000 National Guard troops were sent to Los Angeles to quell immigration protests. President Donald Trump touted the deployment as an unmitigated success on social media. However, the plans for Chicago would reportedly be different from the law enforcement crackdown in Washington, D.C.
The administration's future plans, including in Chicago, are expected to look like Trump's deployment of the National Guard in Los Angeles. Internal discussions have included mobilizing active-duty troops from consenting states as force protection for federal agents. Title 10 of the US Code allows the president to deploy the National Guard as necessary to repel invasion, suppress rebellion, or execute laws.
However, Democratic governors and city mayors are pushing back against the administration's plans. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, a Democrat, said the city has not heard from the White House about the deployment or any increased law enforcement presence. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker stated he has not received any communication from the federal government, and Illinois has not made requests to the federal government for help.
The potential deployment of the National Guard in Chicago raises concerns about the use of military forces in non-consenting states. National Guard units from Republican-led states could potentially be used in such states. Experts say sending in the National Guard in a blanket order to crack down on crime and implement immigration policies is unprecedented.
California has already challenged the legality of Trump's deployment of the National Guard in a lawsuit. Johnson, the Chicago mayor, has stated that such a move would be "uncalled for" and "unlawful." Democratic leaders are urging the administration to reconsider its plans, citing concerns about civil liberties and the separation of powers.
The White House has referred CNN to Trump's remarks in the Oval Office a day earlier when asked for comment. Trump seemed to preview these plans in the Oval Office on Friday. It is not yet clear how many troops would be sent to Chicago, or when those deployments would start.
The administration has tried to augment Immigration and Customs Enforcement's capacity by pulling personnel from multiple agencies, including the US military. The potential moves in Chicago would likely follow this pattern, raising questions about the military's role in domestic law enforcement and immigration policy.
As the administration moves forward with its plans, it remains to be seen how these developments will unfold and what impact they will have on the cities and communities affected.
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