DURBIN, DUCKWORTH LEAD ILLINOIS DEMOCRATS IN DEMANDING PRESIDENT TRUMP IMMEDIATELY RESCIND HIS ORDER TO DEPLOY NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS TO CHICAGO

DURBIN, DUCKWORTH LEAD ILLINOIS DEMOCRATS IN DEMANDING PRESIDENT TRUMP IMMEDIATELY RESCIND HIS ORDER TO DEPLOY NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS TO CHICAGO

"We urge you to respect your oath to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution and immediately terminate the federalization and planned deployment of National Guard troops to Illinois," wrote the lawmakers in their letter to President Trump

CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator and combat Veteran Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today led all Democratic members of the Illinois delegation in sending a letter to President Donald Trump, demanding that he immediately reverse his decision to federalize and deploy 300 Illinois National Guard troops and up to 400 Texas National Guard troops and to the Chicago region.

"We write to urge you to reverse your reckless decision to federalize and deploy Texas and Illinois National Guard troops to Illinois. Your use of the military to sow fear and chaos in American cities, including over the objections of several Governors, is unconstitutional and un-American, infringes on individual and states' rights, and threatens to undermine military readiness and morale," wrote the lawmakers.

The lawmakers emphasized that deploying the National Guard in these circumstances is a blatant politicization of the military and reminded the President that he does not have the authority to use the National Guard as his own personal police force in violation of federal law and the Constitution.

"The men and women who serve in the National Guard signed up to defend the nation in times of war and to aid their communities during disasters. They did not sign up to be used as political props, to threaten the civil liberties they swore to protect, or to take over civilian law enforcement. Policing Americans is not the role of the military. That is the role of civilian law enforcement. The founders of this great nation understood that democracy, liberty, and the rule of law were dependent upon preventing the military from being turned upon its own people," the lawmakers wrote.

They continued their letter: "Sending troops into American cities without proper justification and legal authority undermines democracy and the rule of law and puts both civil liberties and lives at risk. Federalizing and deploying National Guard troops to Illinois under the present circumstances, including over the objection of the Governor and the people of Illinois, violates federal law and the Constitution."

President Trump's decision to federalize troops comes as federal agents have escalated tensions in Chicago by conducting ruthless immigration raids in which children are ripped from their beds during the night and people are aggressively arrested without regard for their immigration status or due process. Further, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have responded to protests at Broadview ICE Facility by spraying tear gas and using excessive force against peaceful protestors. In contrast, state and local officials have come together to coordinate crowd control and allow protestors to safely exercise their First Amendment rights.

"These dangerous and unlawful actions are completely unnecessary. State, county, and local law enforcement remain appropriately and responsibly able to respond to crime, civil unrest, and other critical needs. For example, the Broadview Police Department, Cook County Sheriff's Office, the Illinois State Police, Cook County Department of Emergency Management and Regional Security, and Illinois Emergency Management Agency have been coordinating on crowd control and public safety with a Unified Command outside of the Broadview U.S. Immigration and Customs and Enforcement (ICE) facility," the lawmakers wrote.

"Instead of working with and empowering local law enforcement, ICE and other U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Justice (DOJ) officials are escalating tensions in Broadview and across Chicago, using excessive force against individuals peacefully exercising their First Amendment rights and blocking emergency access. Meanwhile, even as you surge federal law enforcement and deploy military personnel against Illinoisans, you have slashed hundreds of millions of dollars from the public safety programs and law enforcement agencies that keep Americans safe," the lawmakers continued their letter.

The lawmakers then chastised the President for eroding the public's trust in the military, diverting critical resources from the military, and disrupting National Guard members' daily lives.

"In addition, the deployment of troops for politicized law enforcement actions damages operational readiness, erodes trust in the military as an institution, and disrupts the civilian lives of military personnel and their families. Guard units are being pulled away from their day jobs, scheduled training, and mission preparation to do a job that they are fundamentally not trained to do to address a crisis manufactured by your Administration. This unnecessary and dangerous diversion of military personnel and resources for a non-military job leaves our National Guard less prepared to respond to their primary missions, ranging from natural disasters to national security threats, that could actually threaten Americans," the lawmakers wrote.

The lawmakers concluded their letter by making it clear that President Trump's decision to federalize the Illinois National Guard is unacceptable.

"We urge you to respect your oath to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution and immediately terminate the federalization and planned deployment of National Guard troops to Illinois," the lawmakers concluded their letter.

In addition to Durbin and Duckworth, the letter was signed by all Democratic members of the Illinois congressional delegation, including U.S. Representatives Jonathan Jackson (D-IL-01), Robin Kelly (D-IL-02), Delia Ramirez (D-IL-03), Jesús G. "Chuy" García (D-IL-04), Mike Quigley (D-IL-05), Sean Casten (D-IL-06), Danny Davis (D-IL-07), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09), Brad Schneider (D-IL-10), Bill Foster (D-IL-11), Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13), Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14), and Eric Sorensen (D-IL-17).

Full text of the letter is available here and below:

October 6, 2025

Dear President Trump:

We write to urge you to reverse your reckless decision to federalize and deploy Texas and Illinois National Guard troops to Illinois. Your use of the military to sow fear and chaos in American cities, including over the objections of several Governors, is unconstitutional and un-American, infringes on individual and states' rights, and threatens to undermine military readiness and morale.

The men and women who serve in the National Guard signed up to defend the nation in times of war and to aid their communities during disasters. They did not sign up to be used as political props, to threaten the civil liberties they swore to protect, or to take over civilian law enforcement. Policing Americans is not the role of the military. That is the role of civilian law enforcement. The founders of this great nation understood that democracy, liberty, and the rule of law were dependent upon preventing the military from being turned upon its own people. Sending troops into American cities without proper justification and legal authority undermines democracy and the rule of law and puts both civil liberties and lives at risk. Federalizing and deploying National Guard troops to Illinois under the present circumstances, including over the objection of the Governor and the people of Illinois, violates federal law and the Constitution.

These dangerous and unlawful actions are completely unnecessary. State, county, and local law enforcement remain appropriately and responsibly able to respond to crime, civil unrest, and other critical needs. For example, the Broadview Police Department, Cook County Sheriff's Office, Illinois State Police, Cook County Department of Emergency Management and Regional Security, and Illinois Emergency Management Agency have been coordinating on crowd control and public safety with a Unified Command outside of the Broadview U.S. Immigration and Customs and Enforcement (ICE) facility.

Instead of working with and empowering local law enforcement, ICE and other U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Justice (DOJ) officials are escalating tensions in Broadview and across Chicago, using excessive force against individuals peacefully exercising their First Amendment rights and blocking emergency access. Meanwhile, even as you surge federal law enforcement and deploy military personnel against Illinoisans, you have slashed hundreds of millions of dollars from the public safety programs and law enforcement agencies that keep Americans safe.

In addition, the deployment of troops for politicized law enforcement actions damages military operational readiness, erodes trust in the military as an institution, and disrupts the civilian lives of military personnel and their families. Guard units are being pulled away from their day jobs, scheduled training, and mission preparation to do a job that they are fundamentally not trained to do to address a crisis manufactured by your Administration. This unnecessary and dangerous diversion of military personnel and resources for a non-military job leaves our National Guard less prepared to respond to their primary missions, ranging from natural disasters to national security threats, that could actually threaten Americans.

We urge you to respect your oath to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution and immediately terminate the federalization and planned deployment of National Guard troops to Illinois.

Sincerely,

-30-