As Chicago’s leaders celebrate a court victory blocking federal troop deployments, New Orleans is preparing for hundreds of National Guard members to descend on the city for New Year’s Eve. Two different responses for two different cities highlight how the same White House policy is playing out in dramatically different ways across the country.
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Chicago’s Pushback
Two days before Christmas, the Republican administration’s emergency request to overturn a ruling blocking troop deployment in the Chicago area was upheld when the Supreme Court justices declined to overturn a ruling by the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The court ruled that the administration had not shown legal authority to deploy military forces in Illinois. According to ABC7 Chicago, Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch dissented in the 6-3 ruling.
We told you about this legal battle in October, after Trump had deployed the National Guard to Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. to deter anti-ICE protests and crime, respectively. Trump has cited similar concerns in Democratic-led cities like Portland and Memphis.
After more than two months of debate, the Supreme Court’s decision in Chicago is a big win for the city and a tug at the reins of the presidency that we’ve rarely seen this year. According to ABC7 Chicago, the ruling could affect other lawsuits that challenge the president’s efforts to deploy troops in other cities.
“We went first before the Supreme Court on this. And so this is an important case not only for the city of Chicago and the state of Illinois, but for the country at large,” Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul was quoted by ABC7 Chicago.
Still, the Supreme Court ruling is not final, and according to the outlet, Justice Brett Kavanaugh agreed with the deployment block but suggested Trump should have more freedom in the future.
New Orleans Acceptance
While federal troop deployments were blocked in Chicago by court order, the administration’s efforts to put boots on the ground in New Orleans are moving forward with support from some local officials.
According to ABC News, Gov. Jeff Landry requested that Trump send 1,000 troops to Louisiana cities to combat crime, but Democrats argued that lower crime rates made deployment “unwarranted.” Despite the debate, President Trump approved a National Guard deployment to New Orleans for New Year’s celebrations, one year after a deadly attack on Bourbon Street that killed 15 people.
According to the outlet, 350 National Guard members will be stationed primarily in the French Quarter, a major tourist area, and will stay on patrol through Carnival season. Police spokesperson Reese Harper said the Guard will be there for “visibility,” safety and “another layer of security,” but will not be there for immigration enforcement.
“It’s no different than what we’ve seen in the past,” Harper said. ABC News reported that troops were in the city earlier this year for the Super Bowl and Mardis Gras.
The outlet also cited a press conference confirming that more than 800 law enforcement officials will patrol Bourbon Street, manage traffic and conduct security checks during New Year’s celebration.
The Ongoing Fight
Separate legal battles are playing out in multiple states and the District of Columbia. ABC7 Chicago reported that Attorney General Brian Schwalb is suing to stop more than 2,000 troops in Washington, D.C. with 22 states supporting the lawsuit and 23 supporting the administration. The oulet also reported that Federal judges in Oregon and California have blocked deployments, and Tennessee officials successfully challenged the ongoing deployment in Memphis. The Trump administration has appealed the rulings in Oregon and California.
Since preliminary decisions aren’t final, these legal struggles regarding the National Guard are far from over.
Straight From 
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