Illinois and chicago File Lawsuit to Block Trump‘s National Guard Deployment Plan
CHICAGO (October 7, 2025, 5:00 PM CDT) – Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and the City of Chicago, led by Mayor Brandon Johnson, filed a lawsuit today seeking to halt former President Donald Trump’s proposed plan to deploy National Guard troops to address civil unrest. The legal action follows a recent federal court ruling that largely upheld Trump’s authority to federalize National Guard units without the consent of state governors, a decision Illinois officials fear could erode state sovereignty.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S.District Court for the Northern district of Illinois, argues the plan represents an overreach of federal power and poses a direct threat to the constitutional rights of Illinois residents. Officials contend the deployment could stifle peaceful protest and undermine local control over law enforcement. The case arrives amid heightened political tensions and concerns about potential disruptions surrounding the upcoming 2024 presidential election and it’s aftermath.
The dispute stems from Trump’s proposal, unveiled in september 2025, to establish a rapid-deployment force of National Guard personnel under direct federal command. He has publicly stated the force is necesary to quell potential unrest in major cities, citing instances of protests and demonstrations following the 2020 election and subsequent events.
“We will not stand idly by while our state’s sovereignty and the constitutional rights of our residents are threatened,” Attorney general Raoul stated in a press conference. “This plan is a dangerous overstep by the federal government and we are confident the court will recognize its illegality.”
Mayor Johnson echoed these concerns, emphasizing the importance of local control over public safety. ”Chicago has a long and proud history of peaceful protest, and we will vigorously defend the right of our residents to exercise that right without fear of federal intervention,” he said.
The lawsuit specifically challenges the legality of the federalization process, arguing it violates the Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution,which reserves powers not delegated to the federal government to the states respectively,or to the people. It also raises concerns about the potential for the National Guard to be used against citizens engaged in lawful assembly.
The federal court ruling that preceded this lawsuit, issued on october 1, 2025, affirmed the President’s authority to call up National Guard units for limited federal service, even without the governor’s approval, under certain circumstances. Though, Illinois officials argue that Trump’s proposed plan goes beyond those limited circumstances and constitutes an unlawful attempt to circumvent the established constitutional framework.
Associated Press reporter Sophia Tareen contributed from Chicago.
