Judicial actions have stalled President Donald Trump’s plans to deploy the National Guard in urban areas like Chicago and Portland. Troops are now patrolling Memphis, Tennessee, where operations have received state approval.
Outfitted in Guard uniforms and with protective gear, the troops began their patrols at a local Bass Pro Shops and tourist welcome center by the Mississippi River. The exact number of these troops remains uncertain.
In Detroit, Trump has also considered deploying troops to various cities such as Baltimore and multiple locations in California, arguing that this step is necessary to support immigration enforcement and protect federal property.
In Memphis, the state's Republican governor, Bill Lee, backs the presence of National Guard troops to bolster law enforcement amid rising crime concerns. However, Memphis' Democratic Mayor, Paul Young, expressed hopes that the military presence would target violent offenders, rather than intimidate residents.
Contrastingly, local leaders in Chicago and Portland have voiced strong objections to federal troop deployments. Recent court rulings in Illinois and Oregon prohibited such actions, highlighting the tension between state sovereignty and federal directives. U.S. District Judge April Perry emphasized that sending state troops into another state for political reasons is unconstitutional and historically problematic.
Senators from Illinois, Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, faced resistance when trying to visit a federal ICE facility, raising serious questions about transparency in federal operations under the Trump administration.
The deployment of troops has already led to numerous arrests and traffic violations in Memphis, drawing attention to the ongoing federal crackdown on public safety. As the legal battles unfold, the future of National Guard deployments in the U.S. remains uncertain.
