Judges Rule Federalized Illinois Guard Units Must Stay Grounded For Now

A federal appeals court determined on Saturday that National Guard troops stationed in Illinois will continue to be under federal authority but cannot be deployed while legal proceedings are ongoing. The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily paused a portion of a lower court's decision, which had suspended troop deployments for two weeks amid a legal conflict between the Trump administration and the state regarding the president's authority to send troops to manage protests near ICE facilities in Democratic-majority areas like Chicago and Portland. Current orders allow troops to remain in Illinois for "planning and training," as confirmed by US Northern Command. Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul hailed the ruling as a triumph for local communities. Conversely, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson defended President Trump's decision, asserting the need to address unrest. Meanwhile, the Ninth Circuit Court continues to deliberate on the legality of deploying the Oregon National Guard in response to similar demonstrations.