• Approximately 200 troops from California and Texas National Guard will return home.
• Troops were initially deployed to combat crime and assist immigration enforcement.
• Local officials and residents oppose the troop deployment, citing overreach.
• Court rulings have blocked military operations in the streets of these cities.
• The Trump administration continues to escalate the use of National Guard troops in Democratic-run locations.

In a significant development, the Pentagon announced the withdrawal of approximately 400 National Guard troops from Chicago and Portland. These include 200 members from the California National Guard in Portland and another 200 from the Texas National Guard in Chicago, with returns expected to begin soon, according to AA and Reuters.

The withdrawal comes after weeks of court challenges that prevented the deployment of these troops for their intended purposes, namely to support immigration enforcement and combat what the Trump administration termed increased crime. Local and state officials have condemned the administration's actions, with Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and California Governor Gavin Newsom voicing significant opposition, labeling the deployment as an unnecessary escalation, according to NPR and The Hill.

Despite the withdrawal, approximately 300 Illinois National Guard members will remain deployed in Chicago, while the number of troops in Portland will be reduced to 100. The Pentagon has indicated that these adjustments aim to maintain a "constant, enduring, and long-term presence" in these areas, according to AA and NPR.

Controversy continues as the Trump administration pushes for a more aggressive National Guard presence in Democratic-led cities across the nation. Courts have intervened on multiple occasions, blocking the use of troops for direct operations in Portland and Chicago, reinforcing local leaders' concerns regarding the federal overreach, as reported by Reuters and The Hill.