The US Supreme Court has rejected the Trump administration's proposal to station National Guard troops in the Chicago area, despite objections from local and state officials.
In an unsigned ruling, the Supreme Court said the president's ability to federalize the National Guard would likely only apply in “exceptional” circumstances.
The National Guard consists primarily of government troops who typically respond to major problems such as natural disasters or large protests.
The decision marks a rare departure for the conservative-majority court, which has largely sided with the Trump administration in recent months. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker called it “a great victory for Illinois and American democracy.”
The White House did not immediately respond to the decision.
The deployment of troops to Chicago is part of a series of efforts by the Trump administration to quell protests against federal immigration raids in mostly Democratic-led cities including New Orleans, Portland and Washington.
Trump says his use of troops is necessary to quell violence in Democratic-controlled cities, fight crime and support his deportation initiatives.
But in response to legal challenges filed by Illinois officials and leaders, a lower court blocked the deployment of hundreds of National Guard troops to the Chicago area.
A judge has ruled against Trump's claim that the Chicago-area protests constitute an “insurrection or threat of insurrection” against the United States.
The president appealed the decision to the Supreme Court and said his decision to deploy the National Guard was not subject to judicial review. The Justice Department also asked the higher court to allow the placement during the trial.
On Tuesday, the justices upheld the lower court's decision.
“At this preliminary stage, the government has failed to identify the source of authority that would enable the military to enforce laws in Illinois,” the justices wrote in the 6-3 ruling. Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch dissented.
The Supreme Court's decision largely preserves the status quo in one of the country's largest cities.
While the president has been sending troops to major U.S. cities for months despite legal challenges, this is the first time the Supreme Court has ruled on the effort.
