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Kanishka Singh

National Guard to leave Chicago, LA, Portland: Trump

Donald Trump started deploying troops in ​June after protests against his immigration policies. (AP PHOTO)

US President Donald Trump says his administration is removing the National Guard from Chicago, ⁠Los Angeles and Portland but federal forces will come back if crime rates go up.

Local leaders in those cities and Democrats have said the deployments, which have faced legal challenges, were unnecessary. 

They have accused the Trump administration ‌of federal overreach ​and of exaggerating isolated episodes of violence at mostly peaceful protests to justify ‍sending in troops.

Trump, a Republican, has said troop deployments in Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, DC, Memphis and Portland were necessary to fight crime and protect federal property and personnel from protesters.

"We are removing the National Guard from Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland, despite the fact that CRIME ​has been greatly reduced by having these great ‌Patriots in those cities, and ONLY by that fact," Trump wrote on social media.

"We will come back, perhaps in a much ​different and stronger form, when crime begins to soar again - Only a question of time!"

Judges ‍overseeing lawsuits filed by cities challenging the deployments have consistently ruled that the Trump administration overstepped its authority and found that there is no evidence to support ​claims ​that troops are necessary to protect federal ​property from protesters.

A National Guard deployment in New Orleans
Troop deployments have faced legal challenges, with judges ruling against the Trump administration. (AP PHOTO)

Trump started deploying troops in ​June amid protests against his hardline immigration policies including efforts to ramp up deportations. 

He also deployed troops to Washington and took control of local police in response to what he said was rampant crime - though local crime statistics indicated otherwise - using his unique authority as president over the US capital.

Military officials have been winding down and scaling back the deployments in recent months as litigation ‍has left them in limbo. 

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