Department of War Security for the Protection of Federal Personnel and Property in Illinois

Key Points

• President Trump has ordered at least 300 members of the Illinois National Guard into federal service to protect federal buildings and staff. This move puts these guard members under federal control rather than state control for the duration of their mission.
• The order focuses on the Chicago area, where the administration says violent groups are trying to stop federal law enforcement from carrying out deportations and other duties. The guard will specifically support agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Federal Protective Service (FPS).
• The National Guard will be stationed at locations where protests or violence are preventing federal laws from being carried out. This includes protecting federal property and the government employees working there.
• This deployment is scheduled to last for 60 days, though the Secretary of War has the power to change that timeline. The order will remain in effect unless the Governor of Illinois agrees to a different type of federally-funded mobilization that keeps the guard under state control.
• The President stated that regular federal forces are not enough to handle the current level of interference with law enforcement in Illinois. This action follows similar federal interventions recently taken in Oregon and other states.