Supreme Court blocks Trump effort to deploy National Guard in Illinois crime crackdown

The Trump administration is weighing its next steps after the Supreme Court blocked an effort to deploy National Guard troops in Illinois as part of a crime crackdown.

(NBC)- The Trump administration is weighing its next steps after the Supreme Court blocked an effort to deploy National Guard troops in Illinois as part of a crime crackdown.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker called the ruling a win for democracy and said it represents an important step in curbing what he described as the Trump administration’s abuse of power.

The governor has strongly opposed the deployment of troops to Chicago, saying it is unnecessary and not what residents want.

Pritzker said communities are asking for civilian law enforcement when needed, along with jobs and after-school programs for children, adding that residents do not want federal troops occupying their neighborhoods.

In a statement, a White House spokesperson said President Trump activated the National Guard to protect federal law enforcement officers and ensure rioters did not destroy federal buildings and property. The statement added that nothing in the court’s ruling detracts from the administration’s core agenda.

The White House also noted that National Guard troops have been supporting immigration enforcement officers and said the administration will continue working to safeguard the public.

President Trump has long defended his National Guard strategy, saying he has an obligation to protect the country.

The justices rejected the administration’s argument that Chicago has become so lawless that it justified invoking a law allowing the president to federalize the National Guard in extreme circumstances, such as a rebellion.

The ruling marks a rare rebuke from the conservative-led Supreme Court. While the decision is preliminary and applies only to Illinois, legal experts say it could strengthen similar challenges to National Guard deployments in other U.S. cities.