US Supreme Court blocks Trump administration from deploying National Guard to Illinois
Washington, Dec 24
The US Supreme Court blocked President Donald Trump's attempt to send the National Guard to the state of Illinois, dealing a setback to the administration.
The court denied the Trump administration's request in a 6-3 vote, Xinhua news agency reported.
"At this preliminary stage, the government has failed to identify a source of authority that would allow the military to execute the laws in Illinois," the court said in an order published on its website.
The dispute dates back to October 4, when Trump called 300 members of the Illinois National Guard into active federal service in Illinois, particularly in and around Chicago. The following day, members of the Texas National Guard were also federalized and sent to Chicago, according to the court.
On October 9, the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois issued a temporary restraining order barring the federalization and deployment of the National Guard in Illinois.
The decision was upheld on October 16 by the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, which allowed the administration to federalize the National Guard but not to deploy its members.
The Trump administration then appealed to the Supreme Court.
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson, reacting to the ruling, said the president "activated the National Guard to protect federal law enforcement officers, and to ensure rioters did not destroy federal buildings and property."
JB Pritzker, the Democratic governor of Illinois, who strongly opposed the deployment along with the Democratic mayor of Chicago, welcomed the ruling, calling it a "big win for Illinois and American democracy."
— IANS
Reader Comments
Reading this from Mumbai. The legal process seems robust, moving from district court to appeals court to Supreme Court. However, sending troops into a state against the governor's will seems extreme. Glad the courts intervened. 🇮🇳
Interesting to see the US dealing with internal tensions. The governor opposing the President reminds me of some of our own political dynamics here. The court's reasoning about "source of authority" is key - you can't just deploy military without clear legal backing.
As an Indian following US politics, I find the 6-3 vote noteworthy. It wasn't purely along partisan lines if I understand correctly. The White House spokesperson's justification about protecting property sounds familiar - we hear similar arguments during protests here too.
Respectfully, while I understand the need to check executive power, if there was genuine risk to federal buildings and officers, some action was needed. The article doesn't detail what threat prompted this. Sometimes strong measures are necessary for law and order - we know this well in Indian cities.
The procedural details are impressive - temporary restraining order, appeals court allowing federalization but not deployment, then Supreme Court final word. Our Indian judiciary also follows such meticulous processes. Democracy survives on these checks and balances! 👍
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