Trump has created great tension by authorizing ICE and troop deployment to Chicago despite state opposition, while a Judge halts similar action in Portland.
The Trump administration has ignited a fierce national debate over the use of military force on American soil after branding Chicago a “war zone” and sending National Guard troops to the city against the will of local leaders.
President Donald Trump late Saturday October 4, 2025, authorized the deployment of 300 National Guard soldiers to Chicago, the United
United States’ third-largest city, in what he described as a necessary step to curb violent crime. The move was immediately condemned by Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and city officials, who accused the White House of seeking to provoke unrest for political gain.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the decision, saying, “Chicago is a war zone.” But Pritzker, accused the administration of “creating mayhem on the ground so they can send in even more troops.”
News poll released Sunday found Americans deeply divided on the issue, with 42 percent supporting the deployment of National Guard forces to major cities and 58 percent opposing it.
The president, who has repeatedly vowed to restore “law and order,” has framed the operation as part of what he called a “war from within.” On Sunday, he claimed that “Portland is burning to the ground,” describing demonstrators as “insurrectionists.”
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Court Rebukes Troop Deployment in Portland. Trump’s push to expand military involvement in domestic affairs faced a setback late Saturday when a federal court in Oregon temporarily blocked the administration’s plan to send troops to Portland.
U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut ruled that the deployment was “untethered to the facts,” emphasizing that “this is a nation of constitutional law, not martial law.”
While acknowledging sporadic clashes in Portland, the court found no evidence of “an organized attempt to overthrow the government,” a prerequisite for justifying federal military action. Senior Trump adviser Stephen Miller denounced the ruling as “legal insurrection.”
ICE Raids Intensify Nationwide. Parallel to the troop deployments, the administration has expanded Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in several Democratic-run cities. The raids—often involving masked, armed agents in unmarked vehicles—have sparked protests and accusations of political targeting.
In Chicago, tensions escalated further on Saturday when a federal officer shot a motorist who, according to the Department of Homeland Security, was armed and rammed a patrol vehicle. Earlier, ICE agents fatally shot 38-year-old immigrant Silverio Villegas Gozalez during a traffic stop, alleging he attempted to flee while dragging an officer with his car.
The widening standoff underscores a deepening clash between the White House and Democratic-led states over the limits of presidential power, with both sides warning that the outcome could reshape the balance between federal authority and local governance.
