President Donald Trump has authorized the deployment of 300 National Guard troops to Chicago, citing escalating crime and unrest in the city.
The decision followed a confrontation between immigration authorities and protesters, during which an armed woman was reportedly shot after ramming vehicles into law enforcement cars.
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker condemned the deployment, calling it “an attempt to manufacture a crisis” and accusing the president of abusing federal power.
Critics argue that the move infringes on state authority and risks further unrest.
The order came just hours after a federal judge in Oregon blocked Trump’s plan to send 200 troops to Portland, ruling that it violated constitutional limits on federal intervention in state affairs.
Judge Karin Immergut said the deployment “blurred the line between civil and military power” and inflamed tensions.
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson defended the president’s action, saying it was necessary to protect federal officers and facilities amid “ongoing riots and lawlessness” that local leaders allegedly failed to control.
While it remains unclear whether troops have arrived in Chicago, legal experts say the move could face court challenges, as National Guard forces are typically activated by governors, not the president.
Chicago has seen a series of protests over immigration enforcement, many outside ICE facilities.
The city has also struggled with persistent gun violence though official data show homicides have dropped by about one-third compared with last year.
Trump has repeatedly targeted Democratic-led cities, including Chicago, Portland, and Los Angeles, for federal troop deployments, saying he intends to “straighten them out one by one.”
The Department of Homeland Security said the woman shot during Saturday’s clash was armed and later drove herself to a hospital.
Her condition remains unknown.
