Illinois and the city of Chicago filed a lawsuit Monday seeking to block President Trump’s move to federalize and deploy the National Guard.
Lawyers for the state and city argued that the foundational principle separating the military from domestic affairs is “in peril” as the administration pushes to send the Guard into cities nationwide. They are asking a federal judge to block the “relocation, federalization, or deployment” of any state’s National Guard to Illinois, saying the state is being singled out due to its political leadership.
Attorneys for Illinois and Chicago contend that Trump has not provided a lawful basis for taking control of the National Guard, noting that federal law permits such action only in cases of rebellion or invasion, and that his move violates the Posse Comitatus Act, which bars the use of the military for domestic law enforcement.
