Elwood, October 8 — Around 200 Texas National Guard troops arrived at a U.S. Army Reserve Training Center in Elwood, a southwest suburb of Chicago, marking the first wave of reinforcements for federal immigration operations amid lawsuits from Illinois and the city challenging the deployment as an unconstitutional overreach. The mobilization, ordered by President Donald Trump to protect Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents during mass deportations, has drawn sharp rebukes from Gov. JB Pritzker as a “power grab,” with the troops expected to deploy fully by Wednesday despite a federal judge’s refusal to block the move, according to details received by The Chenab Times.
The arrival follows Trump’s September 27 authorization of up to 300 Illinois National Guard members and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s offer of 400 more, federalized under Title 10 to safeguard federal assets amid protests against ICE raids. Video footage from ABC Chicago station WLS captured Texas troops, including two-star Maj. Gen. Niave Knell of U.S. Army North, at the Elwood facility, about 50 miles from downtown Chicago, as reported by ABC News. Pritzker, speaking on a Minnesota panel, confirmed the presence but stressed they are not yet on Chicago streets, calling it an “invasion” and vowing to use “every lever” to halt it, per The New York Times.
Illinois and Chicago filed a federal lawsuit on October 6, arguing the deployment violates the Posse Comitatus Act by using military for domestic law enforcement and infringes on state sovereignty. U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey declined an immediate injunction but ordered the Trump administration to respond by midnight Wednesday, allowing preparations to proceed, as per Chicago Tribune. The suit claims no imminent threat justifies the troops, citing subdued protests—typically 20-30 people—at ICE facilities like the one in Broadview, where recent clashes involved tear gas but no major violence since June.
Trump defended the action during a White House briefing, considering invoking the Insurrection Act to bypass courts, as reported by CNN. He has targeted Democratic-led cities, including threats to Baltimore, Memphis and Los Angeles, where 300 California Guard troops were extended through January 2026 amid similar raids. In Chicago, Mayor Brandon Johnson issued an executive order banning ICE from city properties, the third such measure, while protests erupted in Will County, with resident Erin Gallagher holding a “Texas go home” sign outside the Elwood center, per Chicago Sun-Times.
Pritzker accused Trump of using troops as “political props” for gain, noting no coordination with state officials and refusal of state facilities. State Sen. Rachel Ventura called it a “blatant abuse of power,” highlighting risks to communities. The deployment coincides with ramped-up ICE actions, including a September 10 Broadview raid sparking altercations. ACLU of Illinois’ Ed Yohnka clarified troops can secure perimeters but not arrest, limiting their role to support.
This move echoes blocked efforts in Portland, where Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek sued successfully, and Los Angeles, where a judge ruled the administration “willfully” violated law. Pritzker threatened to pull Illinois from the National Governors Association if others don’t denounce it, per NYT. As troops unpack at Elwood, legal battles intensify, with the foundational military-civilian divide “in peril,” per the lawsuit. Deployment could expand to 700 total, straining relations amid Trump’s immigration surge.
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