Judge's order halts National Guard deployment

Chicago judge's order halts National Guard deployment, but leaves troops already there in limbo

From CNN's Andy Rose

The mayor of Chicago declared victory Thursday over the Trump administration’s efforts to mobilize the military in that city – at least for the next two weeks.

“This ruling is a win for the people of Chicago and the rule of law,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said in a statement after US District Court Judge April Perry blocked any National Guard troops from being deployed in Illinois until at least the end of the day on October 23.

The decision came at the end of a contentious hearing that stretched on for hours in a Chicago courtroom, with Perry – a Biden appointee – expressing strong skepticism that continuing protests outside a suburban Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility prevented federal agents from doing their jobs.

“I have seen no credible evidence” that there has been rebellion in Illinois, Perry said from the bench.

The Trump administration immediately announced it will appeal the ruling. That appeal had not been filed with the court as of Friday morning.

Unlike the judge in a similar case in Portland, Oregon, Perry did not suspend President Trump’s order federalizing hundreds of Illinois guardsmen against the wishes of the government, and the administration says there will be no change to their status.

“The federalized National Guard personnel will remain in a federalized status; we don’t have any other details to provide at this time,” a Pentagon spokesperson told CNN on Thursday night.

Members of the Texas National Guard arrived at the ICE facility in Broadview, Illinois, early Thursday morning. It’s not clear if they will remain there or go back to a base 40 miles away where they were staging when they first arrived from Texas.

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul declined to speculate on what would happen if the troops don’t leave the ICE facility, saying if they believe the judge’s order isn’t being followed, the state will take that up with the court. But he added the Texas troops do not have to leave the state as long as they are not mobilized.

“They’re welcome to stay at our hotels if they pay the hotel rate,” said Raoul. “They’re welcome to eat at our restaurants like any American city.”