US President Donald Trump has authorised the deployment of 300 National Guard troops to Chicago, saying crime in the city is out of control. The move comes after clashes between immigration forces and protesters, in which an armed woman was shot after authorities said her vehicle and others hit police cars, the BBC reports.
The president's decision has sparked strong criticism from local and state authorities in Illinois, who consider this action an overreach of federal powers.
"The president is trying to invent a crisis that doesn't exist," said Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, one of the most vocal critics of this decision.
The ruling comes as a federal judge in Portland, Oregon, temporarily blocked the deployment of 200 federal troops to the city. Judge Karin Immergut said the Trump administration's justification for the deployment was "detached from the facts" and violated the Constitution.
According to her, sending federal troops without the approval of the state of Oregon violated its sovereignty and jeopardized the separation of civil and military power.
"This action incites tensions and increases clashes in the city. The administration's arguments risk blurring the line between civilian and military power, with serious consequences for the country," said Judge Immergut.
