Washington, D.C., 24 December (H.S.): The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday rebuffed President Donald Trump's bid to deploy National Guard troops in Chicago, upholding a lower court injunction in a 6-3 unsigned order that cited insufficient federal authority under the Posse Comitatus Act barring military law enforcement absent explicit exceptions.

The conservative-majority court—joined by Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett—ruled: 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. Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, and Neil Gorsuch dissented without opinion, marking a significant setback for Trump's immigration enforcement amid Democratic resistance.

Solicitor General John Sauer had implored emergency intervention post-October district and Seventh Circuit blocks, alleging federal agents faced constant threat of mob violence from rioters imperiling property; the administration invoked Militia Act powers, but the court demurred, preserving injunctions since October 9.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker hailed the verdict as a big win for Illinois and American democracy, decrying Trump's abuse of power and march toward authoritarianism after rejecting federalization of 300 Guardsmen in October clashes over ICE raids in Broadview.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson aligned, emphasizing local sovereignty.Trump's deployments succeeded in Los Angeles (upheld by Ninth Circuit despite district block), Washington, D.C., and Memphis, but faltered in Portland (permanent bar) and now Chicago; approximately 300 troops linger idly nearby sans operational mandate.

White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson pivoted: Deployment shielded federal law enforcement... rioters did not destroy federal buildings, undeterred by the ruling.

The decision ripples through parallel suits from California and Oregon challenging Trump's domestic Guard activations—escalated post-reelection—to quell migrant-related unrest, testing Insurrection Act thresholds amid Posse Comitatus constraints.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar