Texas National Guard troops arrive at Elwood as Illinois sues to block Chicago deployment

📌 Key Facts

• A Pentagon/Defense memo obtained by CBS and AP called for 'hundreds' of National Guard troops to be federalized and sent to Oregon, Illinois and other locations; the memo indicated up to 400 Texas Guard members could be federalized.
• The Pentagon confirmed the mobilization involved 200 Texas National Guard troops; other reporting put the administration's callup at roughly 300 and initial federalization plans at up to 400 — the deployment was described as an initial 60‑day mission.
• The Pentagon and administration framed the mission as support of the 'Federal Protection Mission' to protect federal functions, personnel and property.
• Photos and on‑site reporting show Texas Guard members arriving and staging at the U.S. Army Reserve Training Center in Elwood (Joliet area) with trailers, temporary fencing and soldiers carrying gear; Gov. Greg Abbott posted that service members were 'on the ground and ready to go.'
• CBS and other outlets reported roughly 200 Texas Guard members would deploy to Chicago this week and could begin assignments protecting ICE as soon as Wednesday after an operational brief.
• The State of Illinois and the City of Chicago filed a federal lawsuit on Oct. 6 seeking to block the deployment; U.S. District Judge April Perry said she would not review the request until Thursday (oral arguments scheduled Oct. 9), and no immediate injunction was issued.
• Illinois officials opposed the move: Gov. J.B. Pritzker called it 'Trump's Invasion' and said federal officials did not coordinate with him, Attorney General Kwame Raoul said the deployment is not legally justified and amounts to political targeting, and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson reiterated opposition and signed an executive order creating 'ICE‑free zones.'
• Reporting ties the deployment to recent on‑the‑ground tensions — including clashes at the Broadview ICE processing center and a Brighton Park incident involving a federal agent shooting a woman — and to claims that federal agents were 'rammed' or 'boxed in,' prompting DHS to send additional special‑operations personnel; arrests and protests were reported near Broadview and the Elwood training site.
• Senior federal figures publicly defended and supported the operation: the White House and Pentagon defended authority to protect federal officers/assets; FBI Director Kash Patel and DOJ officials were reported en route to Chicago; Attorney General Pam Bondi clashed with Sen. Dick Durbin and declined to detail her communications with the White House; White House aides (including Stephen Miller) publicly characterized protesters as violent and rejected profiling concerns; President Trump said he would consider invoking the Insurrection Act to justify sending troops to Oregon.

📰 Sources (11)