Justices rule against Trump, for now

**Supreme Court Blocks Trump Administration’s Deployment of National Guard Troops in Chicago**

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to allow the Trump administration to deploy National Guard troops in the Chicago area to support its immigration crackdown, marking a significant setback for President Donald Trump’s efforts to send troops to U.S. cities.

The justices declined the Republican administration’s emergency request to overturn a ruling by U.S. District Judge April Perry, who had blocked the deployment of troops. An appeals court had also refused to intervene. Notably, the Supreme Court took more than two months to make its decision.

Three justices—Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, and Neil Gorsuch—publicly dissented from the majority opinion. While the high court’s order is not a final ruling, it could influence other lawsuits challenging President Trump’s attempts to deploy the military in Democratic-led cities.

“At this preliminary stage, the Government has failed to identify a source of authority that would allow the military to execute the laws in Illinois,” the majority wrote.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh agreed with the decision to keep the Chicago deployment blocked but expressed that the president should have more latitude to deploy troops in potential future scenarios.

This outcome represents a rare Supreme Court setback for President Trump, who had won repeated victories in emergency appeals since resuming office in January. The conservative-dominated court has allowed Trump to ban transgender individuals from the military, claw back billions in congressionally approved federal spending, take aggressive actions against immigrants, and remove Senate-confirmed leaders of independent federal agencies.

Democratic Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker praised Tuesday’s decision as a victory for both the state and the nation.

“American cities, suburbs, and communities should not have to face masked federal agents asking for their papers, judging them for how they look or sound, and living in fear that the President can deploy the military to their streets,” he said.

In contrast, White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson stated that the president had activated the National Guard to protect federal personnel and property from “violent rioters.”

“Nothing in today’s ruling detracts from that core agenda. The Administration will continue working day in and day out to safeguard the American public,” she added.

Justices Alito and Thomas, in their dissenting opinion, argued that the court had no basis to reject the administration’s claim that troops were necessary to enforce immigration laws. Justice Gorsuch also dissented, stating he would have narrowly sided with the government based on declarations from federal law enforcement officials.
https://www.bostonherald.com/2025/12/23/justices-rule-against-trump-for-now/