Illinois lawmaker welcomes possible Marine deployment after Supreme
Court ruling
[December 30, 2025]
By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributor
(The Center Square) – Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker praised as a “win” a
U.S. Supreme Court ruling temporarily preventing President Donald Trump
from deploying the National Guard in Chicago, but Republicans and legal
scholars say the court could have given Trump an opening to deploy other
forces.
“I am glad the Supreme Court has ruled that Donald Trump did not have
the authority to deploy the federalized guard in Illinois,” Pritzker
said in a statement. “This is an important step in curbing the Trump
Administration’s consistent abuse of power and slowing Trump’s march
toward authoritarianism.”
The Supreme Court last week blocked Trump from sending federalized
National Guard troops to Illinois, which Pritzker called a check on
executive overreach.
In an appearance on Fox News, former Bush administration official John
Yoo warned the ruling may not mean what Democrats think.
“The statute says the president has to be unable to enforce the law with
regular forces,” Yoo said. “The Supreme Court now says regular forces
means you have to try with the regular armed forces first before you can
bring out the National Guard.”
Yoo said the ruling could force the president to deploy active-duty
troops like the Marines or 82nd Airborne, not just the National Guard.
Republicans, including state Rep. Adam Niemerg, R-Dietrich, Republican
spokesperson for the House Immigration and Human Rights Committee, said
Trump should use every tool at his disposal.
“Any means that he can use to restore safety and security to Chicago, I
fully support,” Niemerg told The Center Square. “J.B. Pritzker claiming
victory while Illinois, especially Chicago, lacks safety and security is
nothing to celebrate. Trump wanted the National Guard in Chicago for a
reason: there are too many deaths every weekend.
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Illinois state Rep. Adam Niemerg, R-Dieterich, talks with a fellow
legislator on the House Floor. Photo: Greg Bishop / The Center
Square
Niemerg pointed to Illinois policies such as the SAFE-T Act, the
elimination of cash bail, and sanctuary state and city laws as
contributing to what he described as “mass chaos” in Chicago.
“Whether Marines, the National Guard, whatever is needed to restore
safety, he should use them,” Niemerg said. “Kids and families should
be able to walk down the Magnificent Mile, shop during the holiday
season, and not feel scared.”
Niemerg also criticized Pritzker, saying he prioritizes political
ambitions over public safety.
“Governor Pritzker would use this [Trump deploying ‘regular forces']
as a political weapon for his presidential run. He puts the safety
and security of Illinois citizens last,” Niemerg said.
There has been widespread speculation that Pritzker will seek the
Democratic nomination for president in 2028.
In a statement, Pritzker said communities should not have to live in
fear of masked federal agents demanding identification, profiling
residents based on appearance or language, or the possibility of the
president deploying the military in their neighborhoods.
Yoo warned that the Supreme Court’s ruling is preliminary and could
still be overturned when the case is fully considered.
“I think a governor would rather have National Guard troops than the
82nd Airborne and the Marine Corps patrolling the streets of
Chicago,” Yoo said on Fox News.
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