Gov. Greg Abbott has authorized the deployment of 400 Texas National Guard troops to support federal officials in other states, including Illinois and Oregon, at the direction of President Donald Trump.
Abbott confirmed Monday evening on Fox News that the Guard moved out “to safeguard … federal officials” in American cities, though he did not specify precise locations. Some Texas Guard members were reportedly seen Tuesday morning in the Chicago area, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Deployment Details & Legal Pushback
Abbott did not disclose the exact destinations or missions of the 400 troops. The Texas Military Department did not immediately return requests for comment.
On his show Monday night, Abbott defended the move, saying, “The president has the authority to call up the National Guard to assist in enforcing those laws, and that’s exactly what the president is doing … What Texas is doing, we’re assisting the president in that cause.”
According to posts from Abbott and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker over the weekend, deployments are bound for Illinois, Oregon, and other states. Pritzker described it as “Trump’s invasion” and urged Abbott to rescind the authorization.
Legal challenges emerged quickly. A federal judge temporarily blocked the mobilization of any state National Guard unit to Oregon Sunday night. Illinois sued Monday seeking to stop the deployment in its state, though a judge declined to immediately block it — giving the Trump administration until Wednesday night to respond.
Meanwhile, ten Democratic members of Congress from Texas demanded that Abbott withdraw the deployment, calling the sending of troops to Illinois unlawful. In a letter, they argued: “Turning them into a domestic police force … erodes public trust and undermines the Guard’s core mission.”
Context: Protests, ICE Raids & Threats
The deployment comes in the wake of protests over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in Portland, Chicago, and elsewhere. President Trump claimed Portland was “burning to the ground,” despite state and local leaders insisting federal assistance was unnecessary. He also threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act in Portland, “if necessary.”
Abbott accompanied his Monday announcement with images on X (formerly Twitter): Guard members in riot gear boarding a military plane, and a meme mocking Pritzker and Democratic governors who opposed the move. Pritzker fired back, pointing to Abbott’s sharp criticism of a 2024 plan by then-President Joe Biden to shift some Air National Guard resources over the governor’s objections.
In Texas, tensions over immigration enforcement have escalated: a late-month shooting at a Dallas ICE facility killed two migrant detainees and wounded another.
Defense Department documents say the orders for the Texas Guard deployment are effective immediately for 60 days, with the possibility of extension.
Previous Guard Deployments & State Role in Immigration Enforcement
This is not Abbott’s first use of the Texas National Guard for missions beyond traditional state emergencies. Earlier this year, he authorized Guard involvement in immigration arrests under a state–federal agreement giving limited enforcement authority during regular duties. He also deployed more than 5,000 troops this summer in response to protests over immigration enforcement actions.
In addition, Abbott has deployed thousands of Guard members to the U.S.–Mexico border under his signature Operation Lone Star initiative, which began in 2021 as a border security effort. These missions have sparked debate over the limits of state power in immigration enforcement and the constitutional role of the National Guard.
Who Are the Texas National Guard & What’s Their Role?
The Texas National Guard is comprised of more than 20,000 service members and is overseen by the Texas Military Department. The Guard typically responds to natural disasters, providing rescue, relief, and logistical support. However, the Guard also exists to provide ready forces to state and federal authorities “at home and abroad,” as needed, under dual state and federal roles.
In state service, the governor is commander-in-chief. In federal service, control shifts to the president. In this case, Abbott has consented to federalization, allowing the Trump administration to order deployment.
Constitutional & Legal Questions
Under Title 10 U.S. Code § 12406, the president may federalize a state’s National Guard in cases of invasion, rebellion, or when regular forces cannot enforce federal laws. Abbott has said he “fully authorized” such a deployment.
Yet the Trump administration’s effort to federalize guard units from states that object has already triggered court challenges. Sunday’s order blocks the Oregon deployment; Illinois is pushing back via lawsuit.
In their letter, the ten Texas Democrats warned such deployments set a dangerous precedent. “If any other state deployed their National Guard to Texas without our consent, we would call that an invasion,” they wrote.
Trump has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act of 1807, which allows the president to use the military in civilian law enforcement under narrow conditions, such as when federal laws can’t otherwise be enforced. The last time it was invoked was during the 1992 Los Angeles riots, at California’s request.
What We Know About the Illinois Mission
Texas Guard troops have been sighted in the Chicago area, though their precise role and rules of engagement remain unclear. The Pentagon declined to comment on specific assignments. In Abbott’s posted photos, guardsmen wore full gear, including riot shields.
As of now, about 200 Texas Guard members are stationed in Illinois under the command of U.S. Northern Command. Their orders run for 60 days initially and may be extended.
Since ICE’s ramped operations began in the Chicago area last month, more than 1,000 immigrants have been apprehended in sweeping raids. Some U.S. citizens and children say they were caught up in encounters with masked agents.
Abbott reiterated that the president has the “constitutional responsibility to enforce … immigration laws,” and that “Texas is assisting the president in that cause.”