BREAKING: Federal appeals court says Trump admin can federalize Illinois National Guard—but blocks deployment

A federal appeals court ruled Saturday that President Donald Trump cannot deploy the Illinois National Guard within the state but determined he is still permitted to federalize the Guard.

The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals issued a brief order largely upholding a temporary restraining order from earlier in the week that blocked the Trump administration’s deployment of troops to Illinois. Troops currently in the state do not need to return home unless ordered by a court to do so.

"Pending a decision on the request for a stay pending appeal, the district court’s October 9, 2025, order is temporarily STAYED only to the extent it enjoined the federalization of the National Guard of the United States within Illinois," the ruling stated. "Members of the National Guard do not need to return to their home states unless further ordered by a court to do so."

On Thursday, US District Judge April Perry, a Biden appointee, blocked Trump’s deployment of National Guard units to Illinois, arguing it was “likely to lead to civil unrest.”

Approximately 300 federalized members of the Illinois National Guard, along with 200 from Texas, were deployed to Chicago last Wednesday. The troops have been activated for 60 days. US Northern Command said the mission is “to protect U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other U.S. Government personnel who are performing federal functions, including the enforcement of federal law, and to protect federal property."