104 local governments and leaders urge court to block National Guard deployment in Chicago

For immediate release: Oct. 12, 2025

Media contact: Jackie Jena, jackie@publicrightsproject.org

CHICAGO, IL — In a growing show of resistance to federal overreach, 104 local governments and leaders from across the country joined Illinois and Chicago in opposing the Trump administration’s plan to send more National Guard troops into the city. The coalition warns that turning the military against American communities is a dangerous abuse of power that undermines state leadership and endangers public safety.

With support from Public Rights Project, the coalition filed an amicus brief, State of Illinois v. Trump  where they urge the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals to uphold a lower court ruling that blocked the administration’s attempt to deploy the National Guard in Chicago. The coalition of local governments argues that the president’s efforts to federalize state troops without consent from governors — and without any explanation or identifiable justification to do so — violates the U.S. Constitution and long-standing laws. It also sets a dangerous precedent to unleash federal military troops from one state to invade and occupy another.

“Our cities and states are standing together to say the military is not a political tool,” said Jill Habig, founder and CEO of Public Rights Project. “Turning troops against the American people is a line we can’t cross. Every community deserves safety, dignity and the freedom to govern without fear of federal intimidation.”

The brief details three main risks to local governments if the federal government is allowed to unilaterally deploy troops in American cities:

• Erosion of local control: The U.S. Constitution and federal laws expressly grant states and cities authority over local policing and public safety. Federal military intervention directly undermines and violates this authority.
• Threats to public safety and economic stability: Military presence deters tourism, disrupts businesses and heightens fear among residents, especially in communities already targeted by rhetoric from the federal government.
• A dangerous precedent for authoritarian power: Federal troops who patrol local communities without consent could normalize political retaliation through force. This could lead to any city being targeted for any reason at any time, eroding the rule of law and threatening democracy itself.

The coalition represents tens of millions of Americans across states and political affiliations. Together, they call on the court to reaffirm that the federal government can’t — and shouldn’t — use military force as a political weapon against the people it serves.

The filing builds on PRP’s broader work supporting local governments as they defend their authority against unconstitutional federal actions, including in Oregon v. Trump and Newsom v. Trump.

The local government signatories are:

Alameda, Calif.

Albuquerque, N.M.

Alexandria, Va.

Allegheny County, Pa.

Anaheim, Calif.

Ann Arbor, Mich.

Baltimore, Md.

Boston, Mass.

Burlington, Vt.

Cambridge, Mass.

Dane County, Wis.

Denver, Colo.

Madison, Wis.

Minneapolis, Minn.

Montgomery County, Md.

Multnomah County, Ore.

Newark, N.J.

New Haven, Conn.

New York, N.Y.

Oakland, Calif.

Pima County, Ariz.

Pittsburgh, Pa.

Portland, Ore.

Rochester, N.Y.

Sacramento, Calif.

St. Paul, Minn.

San Diego, Calif.

San José, Calif.

Santa Clara County, Calif.

San Mateo County, Calif.

Santa Monica, Calif.

Evanston, Ill.

King County, Wash.

Long Beach, Calif.

Los Angeles, Calif.

Los Angeles County, Calif.

San Francisco, Calif.

Sonoma County, Calif.

West Hollywood, Calif.

###

Public Rights Project
As a nonpartisan nonprofit organization, Public Rights Project helps local government officials fight for civil rights. We do this by building their capacity to protect and advance civil rights, convening and connecting them on issues of civil rights, and providing legal representation to governments to help them win in court on behalf of their residents. Since our founding, we’ve built a network of over 1,300 partners, including elected officials and 227 government offices across all 50 states, and helped recover over $46 million in relief for marginalized people. www.publicrightsproject.org