Gov. JB Pritzker to address Trump's effort to deploy National Guard to Illinois as Pentagon authorizes Chicago mission
Share this @internewscast.com

CHICAGO (WLS) — On Monday, Illinois and Chicago initiated legal action to prevent President Donald Trump from placing the National Guard under federal control and deploying them.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

“Americans shouldn’t have to fear a military presence in their communities, especially not as a result of political disagreements,” said Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul in the complaint.

Illinois and Chicago’s lawsuit highlights the concern that Trump’s plan to send the National Guard into various states is unsettling the established boundary between the military and civilian life.

The lawsuit requests a federal court to prevent the activation and deployment of the National Guard to Illinois, citing the action is motivated by political disfavor rather than need.

“Illinois faces neither insurrection nor rebellion. The federal government can enforce laws here without militarizing the state. This crisis, as portrayed, is without basis,” they argue in their detailed complaint.

The legal representatives for Illinois and Chicago contend that Trump’s actions lack justification under federal law and contravene the Posse Comitatus Act, which limits military involvement in domestic policing.

“Defendants’ unlawful deployment of the Illinois National Guard, over the objection of the state, is similar to the unlawful course of conduct they have taken against other disfavored states and cities,” the complaint said.

The lawsuit cites Trump’s social media posts about sending militarized law enforcement to Chicago – including his “I love the smell of deportations in the morning” post – and his recent comments about using Democratic-led cities “as training grounds for our military.”

Mayor Johnson’s ‘ICE free zone’ executive order

On Monday, Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an executive order to prohibit “federal immigration authorities from using City-owned or controlled parking lots, vacant lots, and garages as staging areas, processing locations, or operations bases for civil immigration enforcement activities.”

The mayor’s office said in the order it would also distribute free official signage that private landowners can post on their property.

“The signage clearly states that no law enforcement official may enter for the purpose of civil immigration enforcement and that the property may not be used as a staging area, processing location, or operations base,” a spokesperson for the mayor said in a release.

The Chicago mayor's office said it would also distribute free official signage that private landowners can post on their property to designate an "ICE free zone."

The Chicago mayor’s office said it would also distribute free official signage that private landowners can post on their property to designate an “ICE free zone.”

Particiaption of placing signs up is voluntary, the mayor’s office said.

The order states that city departments must identify city properties that have been or could be used by immigration enforcement; post signage, use physical barriers ,such as locked gates, to restrict unauthorized access; immediately report any use of city property.

The executive order “does not limit or restrict the execution of lawful judicial warrants or legitimate criminal investigations. It applies only to civil immigration enforcement.”

This is a developing story.

An Illinois official on Sunday confirmed to ABC News that the Illinois National Guard has received an official notification from the Pentagon authorizing a mission in Chicago.

Governor JB Pritzker is set to host a news conference on Monday to address “the Trump Administration’s efforts to militarize American cities and the current state of federal deployments to Illinois.”

Pritzker says his office has not received any calls from the feds, and has remained adamant that the National Guard is not needed in the Chicago area.

READ MORE | Trump deploying Texas National Guard in Illinois, Pentagon authorizes Chicago mission, officials say

300 National Guard members will need a few days to mobilize and train before arriving to the city possibly by the end of the week, an Illinois official told ABC News.

Pritzker announced that 400 Texas National Guard members will also be deployed to multiple states across the country, including Illinois.

The governor is set to speak at 2 p.m. in Chicago on Monday.

RELATED | Chicago federal intervention: Tracking surge in immigration enforcement operations | Live updates

Chicago police Superintendent Larry Snelling will speak at 1 p.m. “regarding recent weekend events.”

On Saturday, a woman was shot by a federal agent on Chicago’s Southwest Side. Federal agents accused the woman of using her vehicles to strike another car, with three U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents inside.

ABC7 will livestream the news conference.

READ MORE | Woman shot by CBP agent among 2 charged in alleged Brighton Park vehicle ramming, prosecutors say

ABC News contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2025 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
North Carolina Christmas tree farmers resurge a year after Helene's devastation

North Carolina Christmas Tree Farmers Bounce Back Stronger Post-Hurricane Helene Devastation

Christmas tree farmers resurge after Helene In September 2024, Tropical Storm Helene…
Elite Ivy League campus latest to grapple with mass shooting as violence erupts at Brown University

Tragedy Strikes Brown University: Campus on Alert After Mass Shooting Incident

Brown University, an esteemed Ivy League institution in Rhode Island, faced a…
Hamas Reprisals: Terror Group Accused of Killing Pregnant Woman, 5-Year-Old in Gaza

Israeli Forces Neutralize Key Hamas Weapons Leader Linked to October 7 Attacks

On Saturday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched a targeted airstrike in…
Christmas in the Wards at McCormick Place in the Loop and Lombard, Illinois toy drive warm hearts amid cold Chicago weather

Heartwarming Holiday Cheer: McCormick Place & Lombard Toy Drive Brightens Cold Chicago Days

CHICAGO (WLS) — The icy grip of winter has transformed Chicago into…
'It's unbelievable': Community mourns Jacksonville music legend who was shot, killed

Jacksonville Grieves: Community Honors Beloved Music Icon Tragically Lost to Gun Violence

The Jacksonville music community is reeling after the tragic death of Joe…
Man uncovers missing father’s bones buried beneath family home, unleashing ‘a thousand' other secrets

Man Discovers Missing Father’s Remains Beneath Family Home, Revealing a Wealth of Hidden Secrets

On the eve of Halloween in 2018, Michael Carroll’s son experienced a…
Venezuela accuses US of 'piracy' after seizing massive oil tanker

Venezuela Condemns US ‘Piracy’ Over Seizure of Major Oil Tanker, Escalating Tensions

On Wednesday, Venezuela issued a strong condemnation of the United States’ seizure…
Europe 'literally being flooded with cocaine' as narco-subs evade detection crossing Atlantic

European Cocaine Crisis: Narco-Subs Fuel Unprecedented Surge as Traffickers Evade Atlantic Detection

As the United States intensifies its offensive against suspected drug-trafficking vessels, launching…
Putin doubles down on backing Maduro amid mounting US pressure on Venezuela

Putin Strengthens Support for Maduro as U.S. Pressure on Venezuela Intensifies

On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin engaged in a phone conversation with…
Tourist stabbed multiple times at NYC's iconic Macy's during holiday shopping rush

Suspect in Macy’s Stabbing Incident Released from Psychiatric Ward on Day of Attack, Has History of Mental Illness

A homeless woman from Massachusetts, recently charged with stabbing another woman inside…
Child Sex Predators: Inside an undercover Florida sting operation targeting online predators

Unmasking Evil: Inside Florida’s Bold Sting Operation Against Online Child Predators

First Coast News has been granted exclusive access to a covert operation…
1 dead, 1 injured after shooting on Jacksonville's Westside

Tragic Shooting on Jacksonville’s Westside Leaves One Dead, Another Injured: Latest Updates

In the aftermath of a shooting on Jacksonville’s Westside, local authorities have…