2 Illinois National Guard members speak out: “I won’t turn against my neighbors”

Chicago — Two Illinois National Guard members told CBS News they would refuse to obey federal orders to deploy in Chicago as part of President Trump’s controversial immigration enforcement mission — a rare act of open defiance from within the military ranks.

“It’s disheartening to be forced to go against your community members and your neighbors,” said Staff Sgt. Demi Palecek, a Latina guardswoman and state legislative candidate from Illinois’s 13th District. “It feels illegal. This is not what we signed up to do.”

Both Palecek and Capt. Dylan Blaha, who is running for Congress in the same district, described growing unease among Guard members after the White House federalized 500 troops – including members of the Illinois and Texas National Guard – to secure federal immigration facilities and personnel in the Chicago area.

“I signed up to defend the American people and protect the Constitution,” Blaha said. “When we have somebody in power who’s actively dismantling our rights — free speech, due process, freedom of the press — it’s really hard to be a soldier right now.”

Refusing a lawful federal order while serving in the National Guard can sometimes result in court-martial, imprisonment, or a felony-level discharge, depending on who issued the order, whether the soldier is under state or federal control and the nature of the disobedience. When contacted by CBS News, the Defense Department declined comment.

Palecek says members of military are “being used as pawns”

Asked if she would refuse a direct order to deploy to Chicago, Palecek didn’t hesitate. “Absolutely. I would definitely say no,” she said. “I’m not going to go against my community members, my family and my culture. I believe this is the time to be on the right side of history.”

“Look at 1930s, 1940s Germany,” Blaha said. “There is a point where if you didn’t stand up to the Gestapo, are you just actively one of them now?”

A federal judge on Wednesday delayed the deployment of the National Guard in Chicago indefinitely, until a final ruling is issued or the Supreme Court rules on the matter. 

The two guardsmen accused the Trump administration of weaponizing the military against civilians under the guise of public safety. “They’re definitely being used as pawns,” Palecek said. 

Blaha agreed, saying most Guard units “train to fight and win our nation’s wars,” and they do not assist law enforcement or Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “We’re not trained to assist ICE and help them just be violent in our communities,” he said, calling it “shameful.”

The pair noted that Guard members currently mobilized in Illinois are on 29-day orders — too short to qualify for full benefits. “They’re not even getting paid right now because of the government shutdown,” Blaha added. “Most don’t want to be there. They’re scared, too.”

Fears for immigrant service members

Roughly 200 green card holders serve in the Illinois National Guard – with 160 legal permanent residents in the state’s Army National Guard and 30 in the state’s Air National Guard. 

“They’re in sheer panic,” Palecek said. “They’re choosing between standing up for their community or losing everything — their legal status, their path to citizenship.”

U.S. federal law generally prohibits undocumented immigrants from enlisting in the U.S. Armed Forces, including the Army National Guard and Air National Guard. But for green card holders, military service can help expedite U.S. citizenship under longstanding federal programs.

Programs like Parole in Place exist to protect family members of service members from deportation and help them adjust status, but participants say applications have been slowed or outright denied in recent months, leaving families in legal limbo.

“I applied for parole in place,” Palecek told CBS News. “And [my application] has not been able to go through.”

“Everyone says, ‘Why don’t they do it the right way?'” Palecek continued, offering a sentiment often voiced by those condemning illegal immigration. “But they are doing it the right way,” Palecek said.

Retribution in their ranks

Both Blaha and Palecek said they’ve faced retaliation for speaking publicly. Blaha disclosed that his security clearance was suspended by the Defense Department after posting a viral video urging soldiers to disobey unlawful orders. “They twisted my words,” he said. “I have about 30 days in order to provide them with a written response.”

Retribution, Palecek added, is “real.” She’s received death threats since denouncing the deployments and launching her political campaign. “It weighs on you mentally after a while,” she said.

Still, both say silence is not an option. “We were trained to stand up for what we believe in and stand up for the American people,” Blaha said.

“Today it’s Chicago. Tomorrow it could be somewhere else.”

Palecek, who once served in active duty, said the current mission has made her ashamed of her uniform. “I’ve been truly proud of what I’ve been able to do in the military,” she said. “And right now I hate saying I’m in the military. It’s embarrassing.”

Both see a dangerous precedent in deploying federal troops to U.S. cities. “It’s a slow normalization of using the military in American cities,” Blaha said. “If he declares martial law enough times, people will start to think it’s OK.”

A majority of Americans oppose Mr. Trump’s deployment of the National Guard to U.S. cities as part of his crime crackdown, according to a September CBS News poll. But still, roughly 42% of Americans polled expressed support for sending members of the National Guard to cities nationwide. 

A CBS News analysis of FBI and Chicago Police Department data from 2024 found Chicago’s violent crime is down double-digit percentage points so far in 2025 compared to 2024. Among American cities with populations of 100,000 or more, Chicago ranks 80th overall for violent crime per capita.

When asked to describe what America looks like with a federalized National Guard presence nationwide, Blaha replied: “Unsafe.” Palecek offered: “Disgusting.”

“They’re coming after communities that have built this country,” Palecek added. “To be used against my culture, my community, my neighbors — that’s vile and disgusting to me.”

The two soldiers say they’re speaking out to warn the rest of the country. “Today it’s Chicago. Tomorrow it could be somewhere else,” Blaha said. “We need to combat the misinformation and stand up to Donald Trump. Crime is down. This is not about safety — it’s about control.”