The Texas National Guard has been deployed to Illinois, following an order from President Donald Trump (R) to send reinforcements to Chicago, despite Illinois state leaders being vocal about their opposition to the order.
The deployment, which included 400 Troops from Texas and 300 from Illinois, comes amid a legal challenge filed by Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul.
U.S. District Judge April Perry declined to immediately block the Texas deployment, allowing the federal government time to respond.
A similar federal effort to send troops to Portland, Oregon, was recently blocked by a judge.
Governor JB Pritzker (D) denounced the move, accusing Trump of government overreach.
"We must now start calling this what it is: Trump's invasion," Pritzker declared this week. "It started with federal agents, it will soon include deploying federalized members of the Illinois National Guard against our wishes, and it will now involve sending in another state's military troops."
The lawsuit from Illinois argues that Trump's actions violate state sovereignty.
"The American people, regardless of where they reside, should not live under the threat of occupation by the United States military," Raoul stated.
The legal and political battle showcases the divisions over federal authority and state sovereignty. As the deadline for a federal response approaches, tensions continue to rise in Chicago.
