The White House has escalated a legal dispute over the deployment of National Guard troops in Illinois to the U.S. Supreme Court, as state and local officials challenge President Donald Trump’s attempt to federalize and deploy Guard members from Illinois and Texas during the administration’s “Operation Midway Blitz” in and around the nation’s third-largest city.
U.S. District Judge April Perry, an appointee of former President Joe Biden, issued a temporary restraining order last week blocking the deployment. On Thursday, a three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit paused Perry’s decision regarding the federalization of the Guard but unanimously upheld her block on their deployment, stating that “political opposition is not rebellion.”
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul welcomed the 7th Circuit’s decision, calling it “another win for the people of Illinois and the rule of law in our state.” He emphasized that the responsibility of addressing local crime falls to state and local law enforcement, who are best trained to protect communities. Raoul added that there is no need for military presence in Illinois and that his office will continue to oppose the administration’s “unlawful overreach.”
The Trump administration has now appealed the matter to the U.S. Supreme Court, which has a right-wing supermajority including three Trump appointees. Solicitor General John Sauer has requested that the justices stay Perry’s injunction, allowing the president to immediately deploy troops.
In response, Democratic Illinois Governor JB Pritzker criticized the move on social media, stating that “Donald Trump will keep trying to invade Illinois with troops—and we will keep defending the sovereignty of our state.” He warned that militarizing communities against their will is un-American and poses a threat to democracy.
Meanwhile, in Tennessee, seven elected Democrats have filed a lawsuit against Republican Governor Bill Lee for deploying the National Guard in Memphis at the request of President Trump. The plaintiffs include Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris, Memphis City Councilmember JB Smiley Jr., Shelby County Commissioners Henri Brooks and Erika Sugarmon, state Representatives GA Hardaway and Gabby Salinas, and State Senator Jeff Yarbro.
The plaintiffs, represented by Democracy Forward, National Immigration Law Center, and Sherrard Roe Voigt & Harbison, argue that Lee’s actions violate Tennessee law by using the National Guard as a domestic police force. Smiley, also an attorney, called the deployment “illegal” and criticized the governor for disregarding laws to intimidate the city. He described the president’s rhetoric about using communities like Memphis as training grounds as “dangerous and dehumanizing.”
Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, linked the situation in Memphis to broader concerns across the U.S., noting that more than 2,700 communities are planning “No Kings” protests against what they see as increasing authoritarianism. She emphasized that there has been no invasion or rebellion in Memphis, which is a prerequisite for National Guard deployment. Perryman argued that using military forces without legal justification threatens democracy and puts communities at risk.
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