President Donald Trump's National Guard deployment in Illinois is under legal scrutiny, with a pivotal court hearing set for Thursday. This comes a day after a small contingent of troops began securing federal property in the Chicago area. The deployment has sparked controversy, with Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and local officials vehemently opposing it, citing its unnecessary and illegal nature. The Guard's presence at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building in Broadview, outside Chicago, has been a focal point of protests and clashes with federal agents. However, the scene on Thursday was peaceful, with few protesters present. Guard members from Texas and Illinois arrived at a U.S. Army Reserve Center in Elwood, southwest of Chicago, and are under the command of the U.S. Northern Command, activated for 60 days. Chicago and Illinois filed a lawsuit to halt the deployment, arguing that it is unnecessary and illegal, despite Trump's portrayal of Chicago as a crime-ridden 'hellhole'. The city and state claim that protests at the ICE building have not impeded federal immigration enforcement. Trump's controversial statements about Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Pritzker, both Democrats, have further fueled the debate. The president's plan to deploy 200 Oregon National Guard troops in Portland, Oregon, is also facing legal challenges. A federal appeals court will hear arguments regarding Trump's authority to take control of these troops, as state and city leaders insist they are neither wanted nor needed. U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut issued a temporary restraining order blocking the deployment, citing a lack of sustained violent or disruptive protests in the city. The Posse Comitatus Act, which limits the military's role in domestic law enforcement, is a key legal consideration. Trump has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act, which allows for active-duty military deployment in states unable to control insurrections or defy federal law. This deployment follows Trump's previous use of the National Guard in Los Angeles and Washington, and his recent assistance to law enforcement in Memphis, Tennessee, where Governor Bill Lee supports the Guard's involvement.
