Illinois Governor Says DHS Seeking to Deploy 100 Troops to State

Pentagon says it has received deployment request to help protect federal personnel and property, as tensions rise over immigration enforcement in Chicago.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker speaks during a press conference with Texas Democrats at the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades union hall in Aurora, Ill., on Aug. 5, 2025. Scott Olson/Getty Images

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said on Sept. 29 that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) had requested that the Pentagon deploy 100 troops to the state amid federal immigration enforcement operations in Chicago.

Speaking at a press conference, Pritzker said the Illinois National Guard was informed that the DHS had sent a memo to the Pentagon requesting the deployment of military troops to Illinois “for the protection of ICE personnel and facilities.”