Chicago Chief Judge Says US Troops Should Stay Away From Court

Chicago’s chief federal trial court judge says troops aren’t needed to secure the city’s US courthouse.

“I trust and rely upon the men and women of the United States Marshals Service and the Court Security Officers to provide security at the Dirksen Courthouse; this includes the perimeter of the building,” Chief Judge Virginia Kendall said in a statement Thursday. “At no point did I, nor did the Building Security Committee, authorize or request the National Guard’s assistance to secure the Dirksen Courthouse.”

The unusual statement by Kendall, an appointee of President George W. Bush, comes as the Trump administration has deployed soldiers from the Illinois and Texas National Guard to the Chicago area. Their mission includes the protection of Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel and “federal property,” according to a statement from the US Army Northern Command.

The Department of Homeland Security had requested federalized National Guard troops “support protection of the Federal District Court” on Friday “due to to two high profile cases involving DHS activities and personnel,” Major General Niave Knell, the deputy commanding general of the US Army Northern Command, said Wednesday in a court filing.

Kendall in her statement said “additional security measures have been implemented to allow court operations to proceed, but those measures do not include the National Guard at the Dirksen Courthouse.”

“Providing access to justice is at the heart of the Court’s mission and critical for our democracy,” Kendall said. “Maintaining access to the courthouse for anyone who seeks redress remains a top priority of the court. It is a core principle to promote our rule of law.”