Illinois AG Sues to Block Federalization of National Guard, Says Troop Deployments to Chicago Are Not Legally Justified
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul filed a federal lawsuit on Oct. 6 arguing the Trump administration’s attempt to federalize and deploy National Guard troops to Chicago is not legally justified and amounts to political targeting, with oral arguments set for Oct. 9. Gov. J.B. Pritzker and CBS obtained a Pentagon memo saying up to 400 Texas Guard members could be sent to Illinois, Oregon and elsewhere amid clashes at ICE facilities and discussion of invoking the Insurrection Act, but a federal judge did not immediately block deployments and the White House says it has authority to protect federal officers and assets.
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📌 Key Facts
- A Pentagon/Defense Department memo (reported by CBS and AP) called for federalizing up to about 400 Texas National Guard troops for deployment to Oregon, Illinois and other locations; CBS says it obtained the memo as a primary document.
- Gov. J.B. Pritzker said roughly 400 Texas Guard members were being deployed to Illinois, Oregon and elsewhere, called the move 'Trump's Invasion' on X, said federal officials did not contact him directly to coordinate, and said he told Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott he would refuse coordination.
- The deployment push was tied by reports to recent clashes at the Broadview ICE processing center and a Brighton Park incident in which a woman was shot by a federal agent; officials said timing and exact arrival locations of troops remained uncertain.
- At least 200 federalized California National Guard members were reported deployed to Oregon overnight, indicating some federalizations and movements have already occurred.
- President Trump said he would consider invoking the Insurrection Act to justify sending National Guard troops to Oregon, according to CBS News.
- Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul sued in federal court (filed Oct. 6, 2025) to block the attempted federalization/deployment of the Illinois National Guard, arguing the deployments to Chicago are not legally justified and characterizing federal actions as political targeting; oral arguments were scheduled for Oct. 9, 2025.
- A federal judge did not immediately block the administration from deploying troops while the lawsuit proceeds; reports noted the administration could still deploy some troops from Texas and other states.
- The White House (spokeswoman Abigail Jackson) defended the administration’s authority to protect federal officers and assets, while DOJ/administration allies (including FBI Director Kash Patel, who posted he was 'Chicago bound') were reported as traveling to Chicago; AG Pam Bondi, during a Senate hearing, declined to detail communications with the White House and clashed with Sen. Dick Durbin.
- White House adviser Stephen Miller, in a CNN interview reported by Fox News, mocked questions about alleged racial profiling in ICE raids, called the question 'dumb,' labeled protesters 'terrorists,' and repeated claims of violent acts (including alleged sniper presence and vehicle-ramming) at ICE facilities.
📰 Sources (7)
Bondi clashes with Durbin on National Guard deployment: 'Love Chicago as much as you hate President Trump'
New information:
- Direct transcript/quotes from Attorney General Pam Bondi's exchange with Sen. Dick Durbin during a Senate Judiciary Committee oversight hearing on Oct. 7, 2025 (including Bondi's 'I wish you loved Chicago as much as you hate President Trump' line).
- Bondi's statement that she refused to detail her communications with the White House about the deployment during the hearing.
- Reporting that FBI Director Kash Patel posted on X confirming he was 'Chicago bound' and that Bondi said Patel and deputy director Todd Blanche were en route to Chicago.
Trump considers invoking Insurrection Act to justify sending troops to Oregon
New information:
- CBS News reports President Trump said he would consider invoking the Insurrection Act to justify sending National Guard troops to Oregon.
- The comment was made on Monday and was attributed directly to President Trump in the CBS News segment.
Deploying troops to Chicago is not legally justified, says Illinois attorney general
New information:
- Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said deploying troops to Chicago is not legally justified and publicly characterized federal actions as political targeting.
- The State of Illinois filed a federal lawsuit on Monday (Oct. 6, 2025) challenging the Trump administration's attempted federalization/deployment of the Illinois National Guard; oral arguments are scheduled for Thursday (Oct. 9, 2025).
- A federal judge did not immediately block the administration from deploying troops while the suit proceeds, and the article notes the administration could deploy some troops from Texas and other states.
- Direct quotes and characterization from both sides: Raoul’s statements describing 'agitation' from ICE/Border Patrol and a White House statement from spokeswoman Abigail Jackson defending the administration’s authority to protect federal officers and assets.
Stephen Miller laughs off CNN's 'dumb question' about alleged racial profiling in ICE raids
New information:
- White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller gave a CNN interview in which he mocked the suggestion that ICE raids involved racial profiling, calling the question 'dumb.'
- Miller directly characterized protesters as 'terrorists' and repeated claims of violent acts (sniper presence, vehicle-ramming) at ICE facilities.
- The interview was with CNN host Boris Sanchez and occurred on Monday; Fox News reports it and says it reached out to CNN and the White House for comment.
Pritzker: Trump ordering Texas National Guard members to Illinois
New information:
- CBS reports it personally obtained a Pentagon memo calling for 'hundreds' of National Guard troops to be sent to Illinois (primary-document attribution)
- Direct quotes from Gov. J.B. Pritzker's X post are published, including his characterization of the move as 'Trump's Invasion' and that federal officials did not contact him directly to coordinate
- Article cites Associated Press reporting that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's memo indicates President Trump is federalizing up to 400 Texas Guard members for deployment to Oregon, Illinois and beyond
Pritzker: Trump ordering Texas National Guard members to Illinois
New information:
- CBS reports it obtained a Pentagon memo calling for 'hundreds' of National Guard troops to be sent to Illinois.
- Pritzker says 400 Texas National Guard members will be deployed to Illinois, Oregon and other locations and that he personally called Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott to refuse coordination.
- The article ties the deployment to recent clashes at the Broadview ICE processing center and a Brighton Park incident where a woman was shot by a federal agent; it notes uncertainty about when and where troops will arrive.
- Confirms at least 200 federalized California National Guard members were deployed to Oregon overnight into Sunday.