National Guard members at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Broadview facility in Chicago in October.

The Pentagon is withdrawing some National Guard troops from Chicago and Portland, weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump deployed them to combat what he described as increased crime, a U.S. defence official familiar with the decision said on Sunday. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said 200 California National Guard troops who were sent to Portland and 200 Texas National Guard members who were sent to Chicago would return to their home states as soon as Sunday.

The Trump administration sent the troops to those cities last month, saying they were needed to support domestic immigration enforcement personnel who were being confronted by activists and protesters.

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