Trump deploys troops to Chicago as judge blocks Portland deployment

US President Donald Trump authorized deployment of troops to Chicago after a federal agent shot an allegedly armed motorist there on Saturday, while a judge blocked the Republican leader's attempt to send the military into Portland, another Democratic-run city.

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The escalating crisis across the country pits Trump's increasingly militarized anti-crime and migration crackdown against opposition Democrats who accuse him of an authoritarian power grab.

"President Trump has authorized 300 national guardsmen to protect federal officers and assets" in Chicago, White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said in a statement, after weeks of the Republican threats to send troops to the Midwestern city over the wishes of local leaders.

"President Trump will not turn a blind eye to the lawlessness plaguing American cities."

Illinois Senator Dick Durbin called the move a "shameful chapter in our nation's history," adding that the "President is not intent on fighting crime. He is intent on spreading fear."

Chicago and Portland are the latest flashpoints in the Trump administration's rollout of raids, following the deployment of troops to Los Angeles and Washington.

The raids have seen groups of masked, armed men in unmarked cars and armored vehicles target residential neighborhoods and businesses, sparking protests.