Supreme Court Rejects Federal Deployment of Guard to Chicago

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker hailed the decision as a “win for American democracy” in a statement released Wednesday morning. Conversely, Justice Samuel Alito, joined by Justice Clarence Thomas, issued a 16-page dissent arguing that the protection of federal officers should take priority over jurisdictional disputes.

The ruling has immediate implications for the Indiana National Guard, which had been among the regional units placed on alert for federal missions. The court’s unsigned order stated that the executive branch “failed to identify a source of authority” that would allow the military to execute domestic laws in this capacity.

“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,” the Court wrote in its three-page ruling.

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker hailed the decision as a “win for American democracy” in a statement released Wednesday morning. Conversely, Justice Samuel Alito, joined by Justice Clarence Thomas, issued a 16-page dissent arguing that the protection of federal officers should take priority over jurisdictional disputes.