Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) confirmed that 400 Texas National Guard troops will be deployed to Illinois and other sanctuary states under a federal directive from President Donald Trump.
The deployment, initiated to protect federal immigration officials amid escalating violence in sanctuary jurisdictions, drew immediate condemnation from Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker (D), who labeled it “Trump’s Invasion”and demanded an immediate withdrawal of Texas forces.
“We must now start calling this what it is: Trump’s Invasion,” Pritzker said in a Sunday statement. “It started with federal agents. It will soon include deploying federalized members of the Illinois National Guard against our wishes, and now it involves sending in another state’s military troops.”
Abbott Fires Back: “Get Out of the Way”
Governor Abbott wasted no time responding. In a firm post on X (formerly Twitter), Abbott defended the deployment and rejected Pritzker’s framing.
“I fully authorized the President to call up 400 members of the Texas National Guard to ensure safety for federal officials,” Abbott wrote. “You can either fully enforce protection for federal employees or get out of the way and let the Texas Guard do it.”
He added that Texas National Guard troops are among the most experienced and capable in the nation, with thousands still stationed at the southern border as part of ongoing security operations.
Why Texas Troops Are Being Sent to Illinois
The federal order, signed by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, was issued through Governor Abbott’s office and cited “violent incidents and credible threats of continued violence” in states like Illinois and Oregon, where federal officers have come under siege during recent immigration enforcement efforts.
As reported by Breitbart News, a portion of the troops will also be deployed to Portland, Oregon, where ICE facilities have been repeatedly targeted by demonstrators. A federal judge recently barred the Trump administration from using the California and Oregon National Guards, prompting the administration to turn to Texas.
Broadview Attack: The Tipping Point
The deployment to Illinois follows a dramatic escalation in Broadview, a suburb of Chicago, where ICE agents were ambushed during a routine patrol. According to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials, agents were boxed in by ten vehicles, rammed, and confronted by an armed woman who was later shot after brandishing a semi-automatic weapon.
DHS officials say the woman had previously been flagged in a CBP intelligence bulletin for allegedly doxing federal agents and inciting violence online. No law enforcement officers were seriously injured, but the event was described by administration officials as a “coordinated act of domestic terrorism.”
Tensions were further enflamed after the public learned Chicago Police Department (CPD) officers were explicitly instructed not to respond to Border Patrol agents’ calls for help.
This incident, widely circulated on social media, prompted renewed urgency in Trump’s deployment plans and bolstered his push to secure ICE facilities in sanctuary jurisdictions.
Operation Midway Blitz: A National Enforcement Push
The troop deployments come in the wake of Operation Midway Blitz, a federal crackdown on criminal illegal aliens operating in and around Chicago. Launched in early September, the operation was named in honor of Katie Abraham, a young woman killed by a previously deported illegal alien in a drunk-driving crash.
DHS officials say Chicago’s sanctuary city policies have made it a hub for illegal immigrants with criminal records, drawing national attention and prompting Trump’s decision to federalize National Guard troops to support enforcement.
Federal agencies are also increasing Border Patrol marine operations in the Chicago River and downtown areas, further escalating the federal presence in the city.
Pritzker: “Unconstitutional Power Grab”
Governor Pritzker is characterizing the federal deployment as a violation of state sovereignty.
“There is no reason a President should send military troops into a sovereign state without their knowledge, consent, or cooperation,” he said, calling on Governor Abbott to refuse coordination and stand down.
However, with federal legal authority behind the order, Abbott has made it clear he will not resist Trump’s directive — and warned Illinois leaders to cooperate or step aside.
The standoff is emblematic of the deep divide over immigration policy, the use of federal power, and state resistance in the Trump era. While red-state governors like Abbott rally behind the effort to restore order, blue-state leaders like Pritzker are digging their heels in the sand along partisan lines.
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Bravo
I wonder if Pritzker checked with the voters of his state to see what they think. I’ll bet not and that it is his personal bias against Trump.