A federal judge in Chicago has temporarily prevented the Trump administration from deploying National Guard troops to the city.
Judge April Perry heard arguments Thursday from the federal government and the state of Illinois. The Trump administration has claimed that protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations amounted to insurrection. But Perry said the Department of Homeland Security’s “perceptions of events are simply unreliable.“
While reading her oral ruling, Perry said she has “seen no credible evidence that there is a danger of a rebellion in the state of Illinois.” Perry then issued a restraining order curtailing troop deployments.
“I find that allowing the National Guard to deploy at the Broadview processing center or anywhere else in Illinois will only add fuel to the fire,” she said, according to The New York Times.
Perry then mentioned how Trump has ordered about 200 members of the Texas National Guard to the city, on top of about 300 from the Illinois National Guard.
“Chicago’s history of strained police-community relations is extremely well documented but also fairly nuanced,” the Biden appointee said. “It’s something that I think the state and local authorities understand extremely well, and it can be hard for federal authorities, and certainly those from Texas, to appreciate.”
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, whom Trump has threatened with arrest, resoundingly approved the judge’s ruling.
“Donald Trump is not a king — and his administration is not above the law,“ he wrote on X. ”Today, the court confirmed what we all know: there is no credible evidence of a rebellion in the state of Illinois. And no place for the National Guard in the streets of American cities like Chicago.”
When reached for comment, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson gave the Daily Beast the following statement:
“Amidst ongoing violent riots and lawlessness, that local leaders like Pritzker have refused to step in to quell, President Trump has exercised his lawful authority to protect federal officers and assets. President Trump will not turn a blind eye to the lawlessness plaguing American cities and we expect to be vindicated by a higher court.”
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