A federal judge on Thursday (local time) issued a temporary restraining order halting US President Donald Trump’s directive to deploy Texas National Guard troops to Chicago, rejecting claims of a “danger of rebellion” in Illinois.
District Judge April Perry, ruling from the bench, said she had seen no credible evidence to justify sending troops against the wishes of local Democratic officials, according to the Chicago Tribune. The restraining order will remain in effect for around 14 days, local broadcaster FOX 32 reported.
Perry criticised the administration’s account of the situation, calling it “simply unreliable” and warning that the deployment would “only add fuel to the fire.” The federal government had argued that the troops were needed to protect immigration enforcement personnel and facilities, including an Immigration and Customs Enforcement centre in suburban Chicago that has been at the centre of protests.
A lawyer for the Trump administration objected to the order in court, and Perry acknowledged that an appeal was likely. The scope of the restraining order was not immediately clear, and it has not yet been entered into the court system.
The case is one of two legal battles underway over domestic troop deployments. The other involves the president’s authority to send troops into Portland, Oregon, and is pending before an appeals court panel. The rulings in these cases could have wide implications for the use of military power on US soil.
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt, a Republican and chair of the National Governors Association, criticised the deployment as violating federalism and “states’ rights.” It marked the first time a Republican governor has questioned the interstate deployment of National Guard troops over a governor’s objections.
Before the hearing, around 300 Illinois National Guard troops and 200 Texas troops had been activated for federal duty in Illinois. Some Texas troops had begun “actively protecting federal personnel and property,” according to US Northern Command, though specific locations were not disclosed.
Tennessee National Guard troops are set to begin patrolling Memphis on Friday. Unlike Chicago and Portland, Memphis is in a Republican-led state that supports the president’s crime crackdown in Democratic-run cities.
District Judge April Perry, ruling from the bench, said she had seen no credible evidence to justify sending troops against the wishes of local Democratic officials, according to the Chicago Tribune. The restraining order will remain in effect for around 14 days, local broadcaster FOX 32 reported.
Perry criticised the administration’s account of the situation, calling it “simply unreliable” and warning that the deployment would “only add fuel to the fire.” The federal government had argued that the troops were needed to protect immigration enforcement personnel and facilities, including an Immigration and Customs Enforcement centre in suburban Chicago that has been at the centre of protests.
A lawyer for the Trump administration objected to the order in court, and Perry acknowledged that an appeal was likely. The scope of the restraining order was not immediately clear, and it has not yet been entered into the court system.
The case is one of two legal battles underway over domestic troop deployments. The other involves the president’s authority to send troops into Portland, Oregon, and is pending before an appeals court panel. The rulings in these cases could have wide implications for the use of military power on US soil.
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt, a Republican and chair of the National Governors Association, criticised the deployment as violating federalism and “states’ rights.” It marked the first time a Republican governor has questioned the interstate deployment of National Guard troops over a governor’s objections.
Before the hearing, around 300 Illinois National Guard troops and 200 Texas troops had been activated for federal duty in Illinois. Some Texas troops had begun “actively protecting federal personnel and property,” according to US Northern Command, though specific locations were not disclosed.
Tennessee National Guard troops are set to begin patrolling Memphis on Friday. Unlike Chicago and Portland, Memphis is in a Republican-led state that supports the president’s crime crackdown in Democratic-run cities.
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