Gov. Pritzker Issues Statement On Texas National Guard Deployment To Illinois
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CHICAGO – Today, Governor JB Pritzker released the following statement after the Illinois National Guard was informed that the Texas National Guard is preparing deployments to Illinois:
“This evening, President Trump is ordering 400 members of the Texas National Guard for deployments to Illinois, Oregon, and other locations within the United States. No officials from the federal government called me directly to discuss or coordinate.
“We must now start calling this what it is: Trump’s Invasion. It started with federal agents, it will soon include deploying federalized members of the Illinois National Guard against our wishes, and it will now involve sending in another state’s military troops. ?
“I call on Governor Abbott to immediately withdraw any support for this decision and refuse to coordinate. There is no reason a President should send military troops into a sovereign state without their knowledge, consent, or cooperation. ?
“The brave men and women who serve in our national guards must not be used as political props. This is a moment where every American must speak up and help stop this madness."
Duckworth Statement on Texas National Guard Deployment to Illinois
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement in response to the Texas National Guard preparing to deploy to Illinois:
“After federalizing the Illinois National Guard against our state’s wishes over the weekend, Donald Trump is stretching the limits of Presidential authority even further past their breaking point by deploying the Texas National Guard to intimidate Illinoisans in our own communities. Our leaders have not called for this. Our state does not need this. Our National Guardsmen and women did not sign up to police their own neighbors or to be used as political pawns.
“This is a gross overreach and an egregious abuse of power that pits one sovereign State of our Union against another—just so Trump can consolidate his own power at the expense of our constitutional rights. It’s another unwarranted, unwanted and unconstitutional move from Trump as he continues to abuse our military, attack our cities and intimidate Americans.
“I join Governor Pritzker in calling on Governor Abbott to withdraw his support and refuse to coordinate as Trump pushes us closer to authoritarianism. This is not something that should happen in the United States of America.”
Raoul’s Office Seeks Temporary Restraining Order to Prevent Unlawful Deployment
CHICAGO – On behalf of the state of Illinois, Attorney General Kwame Raoul today filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, the Department of Defense, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and the Department of Homeland Security, and Secretary of the U.S. Army Daniel P. Driscoll and the U.S. Army challenging the administration’s unlawful deployment of National Guard members in Illinois to perform federal law enforcement functions.
Attorney General Raoul filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois – Eastern Division. In the lawsuit, Raoul alleges the Trump administration has exceeded its authority under 10 U.S.C. § 12406, which permits federalization of a state’s National Guard under the following specific, limited circumstances: invasion, rebellion or if the federal government is unable to enforce federal laws. As Attorney General Raoul points out, none of these legal requirements exist to justify the federalization and deployment of the National Guard exist in Illinois.
“The American people, regardless of where they reside, should not live under the threat of occupation by the United States military, particularly for the reason that their city or state leadership has fallen out of a president’s favor,” Raoul said. “I am absolutely committed to upholding the Constitution and defending the rule of law, which is why my office is both challenging and seeking an order to stop unlawful National Guard deployment in Illinois.”
Attorney General Raoul’s lawsuit argues that the administration has provided no lawful explanation for its deployment of federal troops, and none exists. The federal government is able to enforce federal law in Illinois, and federal courts continue to be open. The administration’s order also violates the Posse Comitatus Act, which prohibits members of the military from engaging in civilian law enforcement activities. Furthermore, the deployment of federal troops in Illinois violates the 10th Amendment, which preserves states’ sovereignty to exercise police powers and enforce their own laws.
In seeking a temporary restraining order to stop the unlawful deployment of the Illinois National Guard, the Texas National Guard or any National Guard troops, Raoul points out that a federalized National Guard will only cause additional unrest and increase the mistrust of police. A deployment will also harm the state’s economy by depressing business activities and tourism, which hurts Illinoisians and Illinois’ tax revenue more broadly.
The state of Illinois is joined in the complaint by the city of Chicago.
“As Corporation Counsel for the City of Chicago, I stand with the Attorney General in challenging the Trump Administration’s illegal deployment of the National Guard. This is a nation of constitutional law, not martial law,” said Mary B. Richardson-Lowry, Corporation Counsel for the City of Chicago.
Attorney General Raoul’s complaint comes just hours after an Oregon court blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to federalize the state’s National Guard. The judge’s order emphasized that “this is a nation of Constitutional law, not martial law.” The judge also stated that, “The President’s determination was simply untethered to the facts.”
