The more than 200 National Guard troops that Texas has deployed to the Chicago area have experience on the southern U.S. border, Gov. Greg Abbott said Tuesday, Oct. 7.
In an interview with Fox News, the Republican defended his decision to send the military to another state to support the campaign of arrests and deportations of migrants of Donald Trump’s government.
Texas sends Elite National Guard
The Biscuit Brigade, a.k.a. the Texas National Guard, has arrived on the ground in Illinois, as a hostile invading force from one state against another. Greg Abbot said these roly-polies were “elite.” Also, what did Hegseth just say us about no more fat soldiers? Hide your food. pic.twitter.com/6xVX7UCUOd
– John Jackson (@hissgoescobra) October 7, 2025
“Both the mayor and the governor of Illinois have to face the fact that they are not doing their job of keeping federal agents safe and enforcing federal law,” Abbott said.
The governor, a close Trump ally who has spent billions on “border security” through the so-called Operation Lone Star, said the military deployed to Chicago are part of an “elite team” that has “confronted civil disorder at the border,” especially people crossing or attempting to cross the southern border irregularly.
The Texas National Guard has been accused by human rights organizations of excessive use of force and abuses against migrants.
The allegations range from the use of pepper spray projectiles against non-threatening individuals, including women and children, to physical abuse of migrants, such as beatings or pushing them against concertina wire, according to Human Rights Watch and the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA).
Abbott and local media confirmed that the arrival of the Texan troops in Chicago took place on Tuesday, October 7, amid strong criticism from the Democratic opposition and pushback from local leaders, including Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson.
The latter already filed a lawsuit on Monday night asking the courts to stop the deployment of troops, in what they describe as an “unconstitutional” action that goes against the sovereignty of the state.
FBI and Attorney General also go to Chicago
Attorney General Pam Bondi verbally attacks U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) for simply asking why President Donald Trump is sending National Guard troops to Illinois.
DURBIN: “Why do you want to keep the secret? The American people don’t know the rationale behind the deployment of… pic.twitter.com/gaIB2720Es
– Heartland Signal (@HeartlandSignal) October 7, 2025
In testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi stated that FBI Director Kash Patel and Assistant Attorney General Todd Blanche are headed to Chicago along with National Guard troops.
“I wish they loved Chicago as much as they hate President Trump; currently the National Guard is on its way to Chicago because they don’t protect their citizens,” Bondi replied to Illinois Democratic Senator Dick Durbin’s question in the aforementioned committee about the mobilization of troops in his state.
For the moment, the federal courthouse on the south side of the city of Chicago and the Broadview Detention Center, where protesters have gathered in recent weeks and there have been some clashes with authorities, remain calm.
The deployment ordered by Trump comes amid growing protests against immigration raids in Chicago.
The city has been involved for almost a month in the Midway Blitz operation, led by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which, under the guise of ‘ensuring security’, has intensified arrests of people of Latino origin, mainly with the aim of deporting them.
Border Patrol agents even opened fire last Saturday, October 4, in the South Side area, wounding a U.S. citizen.
For his part, Trump himself intervened on Tuesday from the Oval Office alongside Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to once again charge Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson – both from the Democratic Party – highlighting their “inability” to deal with “crime issues.”
However, official crime statistics from the Chicago Police Department show year-over-year declines, with homicides down 28% from the same period last year and down nearly 50% from four years ago.
Both the mayor and the governor of Illinois need to face the fact that they are not doing their job of keeping federal officers safe and enforcing federal law
Greg Abbot
Filed under: Texas National Guard in Chicago
With information from EFE
