The Trump administration is deploying 400 troops from the Texas National Guard to Chicago amid escalating violence over Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in the city. The move comes on the heels of an attack on ICE officers, allegedly by left-wing activists, and weeks of rolling protests and riots around ICE detention facilities in and around the city.
The unrest has increased in response to Operation Midway Blitz, an immigration enforcement operation targeting illegal aliens in Chicago. The city has become a hotbed for illegal immigration due in large part to its status as a sanctuary city, meaning that law enforcement is not permitted to cooperate with federal personnel and city resources are open to illegal aliens.
In a memo on Sunday, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced he was activating the Texas National Guard, writing, “Violent incidents, as well as the credible threat of continued violence are impeding the execution of the laws of the United States.”
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, said that he “fully authorized the President to call up 400 members of the Texas National Guard to ensure safety for federal officers.”
