Federal appeals court upholds block on troop deployment in Illinois

CHICAGO (WTVO) — A federal appeals court has denied the Trump administration’s emergency request to override a temporary restraining order that blocks the deployment of National Guard troops in Illinois.

The Seventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals issued the decision late Friday, rejecting the administration’s motion for an immediate administrative stay. The ruling keeps in place a federal judge’s order barring troop deployment in cities including Chicago and Broadview.

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul called the decision a win for local control and constitutional rights.

“This is a victory for our state,” Raoul said in a statement. “This is a victory for state and local law enforcement — who know their communities and who protect the right of their communities to speak truth to power.”

The legal battle began last Monday when the state of Illinois and the city of Chicago filed a federal complaint against President Donald Trump, several cabinet officials, and the U.S. Army. The lawsuit sought to prevent what they described as an unauthorized and unconstitutional use of military force.

On Thursday, U.S. District Judge April Perry sided with the plaintiffs, issuing a temporary restraining order that blocked the federal government from deploying National Guard troops in Illinois. The order remains in effect as the case proceeds.