(MENAFN) A force of 500 National Guard soldiers has been dispatched to the Chicago area, the US Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) announced Wednesday.

"Approximately 200 soldiers from various units of the Texas National Guard and approximately 300 soldiers from various units of the Illinois National Guard were activated into a Title 10 status and have arrived in the greater Chicago area," the command stated.

The troops have been mobilized for an initial 60-day period and will operate under the direct authority of the USNORTHCOM Commander.

Their mission includes protecting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel and other federal workers carrying out government duties, alongside securing federal properties, according to USNORTHCOM’s statement.

This deployment comes as Illinois and Chicago officials filed a lawsuit on Monday challenging the Trump administration’s order, claiming that President Donald Trump’s move to federalize state troops is "unconstitutional."

In response, Trump intensified his rhetoric on Wednesday, declaring that Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson “should be in jail,” escalating tensions with the Democratic leaders.

Governor Pritzker countered by accusing Trump of “breaching the Constitution and breaking the law.”

The current Chicago deployment follows Trump’s earlier actions sending National Guard forces to Los Angeles, Washington, DC, and plans underway for Memphis, Tennessee. In June, Trump also deployed hundreds of Marines and thousands of National Guard troops to Los Angeles to suppress unrest sparked by his immigration enforcement policies.

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