Central Illinois National Guard units under federal command in Chicago

CHICAGO, Ill. (WCIA) — Several National Guard members from Central Illinois are among those being sent north to Chicago by the federal government.

WCIA confirmed with U.S. Northern Command, which is in command of National Guard troops in Chicago, that the troops will be mobilized for 60 days and will be under the command and control of the Commander of U.S. Northern Command for that time. This means the troops are under federal command, not state command.

While the Northern Command was unable to break down the specific number of troops from each Central Illinois armory, staff could confirm troops from the armories in the region were among those in Chicago.

“These soldiers are employed to protect U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other U.S. Government personnel who are performing federal functions, including the enforcement of federal law, and to protect federal property,” the Northern Command said of the troops’ mission.

The troops from Illinois numbered approximately 300 soldiers and were complemented by approximately 200 soldiers from the Texas National Guard. All of the troops are in Chicago on the orders of President Donald Trump’s administration, which claims rampant crime to be the reason for the deployment.

However, the Northern Command also stated that as of Oct. 10, troops are not conducting operational activities after a judge blocked their deployment last week.

“Our soldiers are conducting planning and training but not engaging in any Federal Protection Mission operational activities,” the Northern Command said. “We have no additional information to provide.”

The troops being sent to Chicago from Central Illinois include several University of Illinois students. The university confirmed to WCIA this fact on Tuesday.