Updated September 30, 2025 at 6:08 PM CDT
The Trump administration says a federal operation is underway in Memphis, while Portland, Ore. readies for the arrival of National Guard troops and Chicago braces for a potential deployment.
In a progress report posted on X, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said on Tuesday that 219 officers had been "special deputized," touted nine arrests and said two illegal firearms had been confiscated.
"Our operation in Memphis is now underway, and we're just getting started," she wrote.
On Tuesday, Missouri Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe said he authorized the Missouri National Guard to support with "administrative, clerical, and logistical duties" at ICE processing facilities in the state. The governor's office said about 15 Guard members will be assigned, KDSK News in St. Louis reported.
Kehoe said the move was at the request of the Trump administration. Guard members will assist Oct. 1 through September 2026.
"Missouri is proud to join in the Trump administration's efforts to keep our state and nation secure," Kehoe said in a statement.
On Monday, Illinois Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker said he received word that the DHS asked the Defense Department for about 100 military personnel to help protect ICE agents and facilities in Illinois. DHS did not respond to a request for comment.
It came a day after dozens of armed federal immigration agents were seen patrolling and making arrests in downtown Chicago, member station WBEZ reported.
"This is an attack on neighborhoods, on lawful residents, on U.S. citizens," Pritzker said Monday. "That's not preventing crime as Donald Trump claims, that's threatening public safety."
For weeks, President Trump has proposed sending troops to Chicago as part of a broader effort — he says — to address violent crime in various cities. The Illinois governor has warned that any National Guard deployment would be met with immediate legal action.
It comes as critics accuse Trump of testing the limits of presidential authority and the use of military force.
On Monday, Louisiana Republican Gov. Jeff Landry requested the deployment of 1,000 Guard troops throughout the state's "urban centers" until September 2026. Landry specifically named New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Shreveport as cities with "elevated crime rates" that need additional law enforcement support.
Memphis
On Tuesday, in an interview with Fox Business, Bondi said 219 members of the National Guard have been deputized as special U.S. Marshals. The Tennessee National Guard did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
"It's exactly what we did in D.C., we're using the same blueprint," she said.
Bondi added that she and Hegseth will be visiting Memphis this week, and commended the city's mayor and state's governor for their cooperation with the anti-crime operations.
Last week, Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee said that agents from 13 U.S. agencies will begin to arrive this week, including from the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
At the time, he did not disclose how many members of the guard will be deployed, but the governor said troops will be in support roles and not tasked with making arrests. A website launched by the city government said guard members will serve as extra "eyes and ears" to local law enforcement.
Portland, Ore.
Oregon officials expect it will take at least until Thursday to prepare the National Guard for deployment — though that's unlikely.
On Monday, Oregon Military Department spokesperson Lt. Col. Stephen Bomar told NPR it will take a minimum of four days to go through "administrative processing."
"During the administrative processes specific issues may be discovered, which may take longer," Bomar wrote in an email. He gave the example that some guard members' training certificates could be expired or their medical screenings may need to be updated.
Of the 300 qualified guard members, at least 166 members of the Oregon National Guard have volunteered for deployment to Portland, member station OPB reported.
Trump on Saturday called for troops in Portland, citing the need to safeguard ICE detention facilities against what he described as "domestic terrorists." In previous remarks, the president raised concerns about protests that took place outside ICE facilities in Portland.
State and city leaders have since filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration to block the use of troops, calling the move "overreach" and "unlawful."
About 200 members of the National Guard were called into federal service for 60 days, according to a memo from the Defense Department to Oregon Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek, member station OPB reported.
Leaders in Washington, D.C., and California have also lodged suits against the administration, challenging the use of federal troops in recent months.
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