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Gov. JB Pritzker addresses the news media on Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025, as Mayor Brandon Johnson looks on. (WTTW News) |
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Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson asked a federal judge Monday morning to block President Donald Trump from deploying 400 members of the Texas National Guard to Chicago alongside 300 members of the Illinois National Guard.
Military officials mobilized 2,000 members of the Texas National Guard to protect federal property at “locations where violent demonstrations against these functions are occurring or are likely to occur” in “Illinois, Oregon and other locations throughout the United States,” records show.
The lawsuit filed by Illinois and Chicago officials calls the looming deployment a politically motivated and unconstitutional federal overreach.
“The American people, regardless of where they reside, should not live under the threat of occupation by the United States military, particularly not simply because their city or state leadership has fallen out of a president’s favor,” according to the lawsuit.
Read the full lawsuit.
“We must now start calling this what it is: Trump’s Invasion,” Pritzker said late Sunday. “It started with federal agents, it will soon include deploying federalized members of the Illinois National Guard against our wishes, and it will now involve sending in another state’s military troops.”
More context:
Pritzker warned Sept. 2 that Trump was planning to order the Texas National Guard to Chicago.
It would be unprecedented for a governor to send National Guard troops into another state over the objections of that state’s elected officials at the request of the president.
Although Abbott denied a month ago he had any plans to allow the Texas National Guard to be deployed to Chicago, he confirmed the deployment in a post on the social media network known as X.
“I fully authorized the president to call up 400 members of the Texas National Guard to ensure safety for federal officials,” Abbott said. “You can either fully enforce protection for federal employees or get out of the way and let Texas Guard do it. No Guard can match the training, skill, and expertise of the Texas National Guard. They defend our country with pride.”
Military officials told Illinois National Guard leaders Sunday that as many as 300 members would be called into service under federal leadership for a two-month period, records show.
No riots have been reported in Chicago, even as protesters have been tear-gassed and shot with pepper pellets by federal agents outside an ICE processing facility in south suburban Broadview. |
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(Patty Wetli / WTTW News) |
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A scaled-back effort to test the ability of city crews to clear not just Chicago’s roads but also its sidewalks of snow and ice during winter storms was rejected Friday by a joint session of two City Council committees.
Groups advocating improvements to Chicago’s walking, biking and transit infrastructure have been pushing city officials to take responsibility for clearing sidewalks of snow since 2022, saying the city has an obligation to ensure people with disabilities and other vulnerable residents can get around safely.
Even though the city’s 2025 budget included $500,0000 for the program — dubbed “Plow the Sidewalks” — the effort will not move forward after the City Council’s Pedestrian and Traffic Safety, meeting in a joint session with the Transportation Committee, rejected officials’ plan to plow sidewalks in two small parts of the city on the South and Southwest sides no more than seven times after a snowfall of more than seven inches.
Despite the support of Mayor Brandon Johnson and Ald. Daniel La Spata (1st Ward), the chair of the City Council’s Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Committee, the plan is now on ice because of concerns that the city, facing a $1.12 billion shortfall in 2026, cannot afford to take on new services.
More context:
City law requires building owners to clear the sidewalk near their properties, and they can face fines if they fail to do so. But in practice, property owners rarely face sanctions for failing to shovel, often forcing people into the street if they can’t navigate the snow and ice. |
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A CTA train is pictured in a file photo. (AlbertPego / iStock) |
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Regional Transportation Authority officials announced Friday that the fiscal cliff facing CTA, Metra and Pace has fallen to $200 million — but warned that without swift action from lawmakers, service cuts and layoffs will still hit in 2026 and dramatically worsen in 2027.
The easing of transit’s money troubles is due to a combination of a spike in sales tax revenue, an expected 10% fare increase and cost savings. RTA has also moved to delay any service cuts by shifting $74 million in operating money from Metra and Pace to CTA, which would have been the first agency to face a revenue gap. RTA also offered Pace an additional $42 million to cover a shortfall in its 2025 paratransit program.
Transit’s previous shortfall had been estimated at $771 million. The announcement comes just a week and a half before lawmakers are set to return to Springfield for the fall veto session, during which numerous legislators say transit will be a main priority. |
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Back in the Day: October 6, 1970 - Haymarket Police Memorial Bombed Again |
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In 1889, a statue designed by Frank Batchelder and sculpted by sculptor Johannes Gelert was erected at the site of the Haymarket Affair to memorialize the police officers who were injured and killed in that deadly protest. But since it first stood on Randolph Street just west of Desplaines Street, it faced a series of unfortunate incidents. On May 4, 1927, the 41st anniversary of the Haymarket affair, a streetcar purposefully jumped the tracks and crashed into the monument. It was rebuilt and moved to Union Park. By 1969, the statue was bombed by the Weather Underground, who placed an explosive between the statue's legs that also sent debris as far as the Kennedy Expressway and shattered 100 neighborhood windows. It was rebuilt again, but on this day, 55 years ago, the Weather Underground blew it up once again—exactly a year after their first action. Following the detonation, Mayor Richard J. Daley vowed “to rebuild the statue again right where it is.” Eventually, it moved to the Chicago Police Headquarters, where it still stands today.
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Learn about sponsorship opportunities. |
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This Week’s Civic Events and Meetings |
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Every Monday, WTTW News highlights the best ways to get involved with local government.
City Council’s Committee on Housing and Real Estate
The City Council’s Committee on Housing and Real Estate will hold a regular meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 7 at 12:30 p.m. in City Hall. Peruse the agenda here and know that the deadline for written public comment is 5 p.m. today.
WTTW
Join WTTW and Openlands on Wednesday, October 8 at 6 p.m. for the Chicago premiere of the new documentary "From Rails to Trails," narrated by actor Edward Norton. The in-person screening will be followed by a discussion with the film's director and executive producer. This event is free, but an RSVP is required.
City Council’s Committee on Health and Human Relations
The City Council’s Committee on Health and Human Relations will hold a regular meeting on Thursday, Oct. 9 at 10 a.m. in City Hall. Peruse the agenda here and know that the deadline for written public comment is 1 p.m. Wednesday.
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The Chicago Cubs have advanced to the National League Division Series round of the MLB postseason. What’s been your favorite moment of the season so far?
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Email DailyChicagoan@wttw.com with your responses and your answers might be published. |
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Want more WTTW News content? Follow WTTW on Instagram to check in with us daily, go behind-the-scenes, and more. |
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Newsletter Producer: Josh Terry |
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