Texas Guard Returns From Chicago After $4.6M Deployment With Little Activity.

The Texas National Guard deployed 200 members to Chicago last month, but they have now returned home following a six-week mission. This deployment has been reported to have cost taxpayers over $4.6 million, with military records indicating that there was no on-the-ground enforcement activity during this time.

On Monday, troops departed from Chicago, as revealed in a memorandum acquired by the Chicago Tribune, marking the end of a mission that Gov. Greg Abbott characterized as a measure to “ensure safety for federal officials” amid intensified immigration operations in the city. In October, Abbott stated that he had given the green light to then-President Donald Trump to send Texas forces, contending that the state would take action if the leaders of Illinois failed to do so. “You can either fully enforce protection for federal employees or step aside and allow the Texas Guard to take action,” Abbott stated on X.

However, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker expressed his opposition to the deployment, and a federal judge intervened to prevent the Trump administration from dispatching Texas troops to the streets of Chicago. Consequently, service members remained off the streets and away from enforcement duties for the entirety of their assignment.

A recent analysis by the Institute for Policy Studies, a progressive research organization, revealed that Texas allocated over $4.6 million to sustain 200 troops in Chicago between October 10 and November 15. The estimate excludes costs related to aviation and fuel. During that same period, Illinois deployed 300 service members, incurring a total cost of $8.1 million, which averages out to $647 per troop per day.

According to an analysis by the Austin American-Statesman, conducted one month into the mission, the estimated costs have already exceeded $4 million. This figure is based on salary, lodging, and meal reimbursement rates, not including flights and fuel expenses.

The Texas Military Department declined to provide details on the expenses when approached for comment, while a representative for Abbott directed inquiries to state and federal entities, such as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Surveys indicated that the initiative did not receive robust support from its home state. A recent survey conducted by the Texas Politics Project, which included 1,200 registered voters, revealed that 51% of Texans are against the deployment of the Texas Guard for law enforcement purposes in cities beyond the state's borders. Only 41% favored these deployments.

The Chicago mission contributes to an expanding array of expensive border and immigration initiatives led by Abbott, including Operation Lone Star, which has faced bipartisan criticism regarding its expenditures, legal disputes, and a lack of clear, measurable results.