The United States Supreme Court has delivered a decisive verdict against former President Donald Trump’s initiative to mobilize 300 Illinois National Guardsmen in Chicago, a sanctuary city, to safeguard Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents amid violent protests.
In a move initiated last October, Trump aimed to deploy the National Guard in support of ICE agents. However, a federal judge, appointed during President Joe Biden’s administration, issued a temporary restraining order, effectively halting the plan.
The Trump administration subsequently appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, seeking to overturn the judge’s order. Nonetheless, the panel of judges dismissed the administration’s request.
Following this setback, the administration escalated the matter to the Supreme Court, hoping the justices would allow the deployment of National Guardsmen to Chicago.
In a 6-3 decision announced on Tuesday, the Supreme Court ruled against Trump’s request. The ruling stated that the administration “has failed to identify a source of authority that would allow the military to execute the laws in Illinois,” thus denying the stay application.
The decision was supported by Justices John Roberts, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Amy Coney Barrett, and Ketanji Brown Jackson, who appeared to endorse the unsigned order. Justice Brett Kavanaugh added a concurring opinion to the decision, solidifying the court’s stance.
Justices John Roberts, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Amy Coney Barrett, and Ketanji Brown Jackson seemingly backed the unsigned order while Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote a concurring opinion.
Justices Samuel Alito wrote a dissenting opinion, which Justice Clarence Thomas joined. Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote a dissenting opinion as well.
“Whatever one may think about the current administration’s enforcement of the immigration laws or the way ICE has conducted its operations, the protection of federal officers from potentially lethal attacks should not be thwarted,” Alito wrote in his dissenting opinion. “I therefore respectfully dissent.”
As – News has chronicled for months, violent rioters have descended on an ICE facility in Broadview, Illinois, where agents have not only been attacked, but rioters have chanted “Kill ICE!” and “Shoot ICE!”
The case is Trump v. Illinois, No. 25A443 in the Supreme Court of the United States.
