Congressman Eric Sorensen of Illinois is supporting legislation to prevent National Guard troops from other states from being sent into Illinois without the governor’s approval. This move follows reports that Texas may deploy National Guard members to Chicago at President Trump’s direction, despite Governor JB Pritzker not authorizing it. Sorensen recently voted to add the measure to the National Defense Authorization Act, but Republicans blocked it on the House Armed Services Committee. The proposed bill would require consent from both the sending and receiving states’ governors and would clarify existing laws that limit military involvement in domestic law enforcement.
“I’m not afraid to stand up to President Trump to protect my neighbors from an unlawful deployment of National Guard troops in our communities,” said Congressman Sorensen. “I trust our state and local law enforcement agencies to go after criminals and keep families safe. We don’t need faraway governors in other states – who know nothing about our communities – sending in their National Guard units against the explicit wishes of our governor.”
