The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to let the Trump administration deploy National Guard troops to the Chicago area to support federal immigration enforcement.
Why It Matters
The ruling could become a key marker in the broader fight over how far the federal government can go in using military forces for domestic law enforcement. It also highlights ongoing tensions between states and Washington over immigration policy, emergency executive powers, and the limits of military involvement in civilian matters.
What to Know
The justices turned down an emergency request from the administration seeking to undo a lower-court order that blocked the deployment. U.S. District Judge April Perry had stopped the plan, and a federal appeals court declined to step in. The Supreme Court acted after considering the request for more than two months.
Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, and Neil Gorsuch dissented. The Court’s brief order did not decide the underlying legal dispute, but it could still shape similar cases challenging President Donald Trump’s attempts to use military forces in other Democratic-led cities.
The decision is a notable setback for Trump at the Supreme Court, where his administration has often succeeded in emergency appeals since returning to office in January.
Responses
In an email to Newsweek on Tuesday, White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said: “The President promised the American people he would work tirelessly to enforce our immigration laws and protect federal personnel from violent rioters. He activated the National Guard to protect federal law enforcement officers, and to ensure rioters did not destroy federal buildings and property. Nothing in today’s ruling detracts from that core agenda. The Administration will continue working day in and day out to safeguard the American public.”
Illinois Democratic Governor JB Pritzker celebrated the decision in a post on X, writing: “Today is a big win for Illinois and American democracy. I am glad the Supreme Court has ruled that Donald Trump did not have the authority to deploy the federalized guard in Illinois.”
What People Are Saying
Pritzker, on X in October: “If the National Governors Association chooses to remain silent, Illinois will have no choice but to withdraw from the organization. We should be standing as one against the idea that Donald Trump can call up the National Guard against our will.”
Trump, on Truth Social in August: “Six people were killed, and 24 people were shot, in Chicago last weekend, and JB Pritzker, the weak and pathetic Governor of Illinois, just said that he doesn’t need help in preventing CRIME. He is CRAZY!!! He better straighten it out, FAST, or we’re coming! MAGA. President DJT”
What Happens Next
The Supreme Court’s order may be cited in ongoing legal fights over National Guard deployments in other Democratic-led jurisdictions, including Los Angeles, Portland, and the District of Columbia. Appeals in California and Oregon, along with lawsuits in Washington, D.C., are likely to further test how much authority the federal government has to deploy troops in support of domestic enforcement actions.
