Chicago: National Guard soldiers are deployed in the greater area

According to several US media outlets, the National Guardsmen ordered by US President Donald Trump to the Chicago area are already in action. The TV station CNN reported, citing its own video footage, that National Guardsmen were patrolling the grounds of an ICE migration agency facility near the city of over a million inhabitants. Soldiers from Texas were observed entering the area during the night. The TV station CBS News also reported on the arrival, citing community information.

In the morning, only a few protesters could be seen in front of the ICE facility in Broadview – there have been repeated protests there against ICE’s actions for weeks. The US government initiated a major immigration operation in Chicago in September. According to the local administration, migrants who are arrested are first taken to the facility in Broadview, which is almost 20 kilometers west of downtown Chicago.

The mayor of Broadview protested against the announced deployment of the National Guard in a letter to the residents of the town. She accused the president of intimidation and a military occupation of Broadview.

On Thursday afternoon (local time), a judge in Chicago also granted an urgent application from media professionals against the US Department of Homeland Security. It temporarily banned federal officials in the Chicago area from using force against or intimidating members of the press, demonstrators and worshipers. Among other things, weapons such as rubber bullets or irritant gas are not allowed to be used, according to the interim order. Reporters should not be prevented from doing their work or arrested unless there is suspicion of a crime. However, officials are allowed to instruct them to change their location if they could impede a police operation.

According to military information, there are now 500 National Guard troops in the region in the state of Illinois. A hearing was scheduled today in a federal court in Chicago – the court could thwart US President Trump’s plans to deploy soldiers to the city with over a million inhabitants. The state of Illinois and the third largest city in the USA are suing Trump because they consider the deployment of National Guard members in Illinois at the behest of the US government to be unlawful.

In the USA, the states normally have control over the National Guard, which is a military reserve unit and part of the US armed forces. It can be used during natural disasters, civil unrest or internal emergencies. However, in times of war or national emergencies, the US President can take command.