WASHINGTON, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday blocked President Donald Trump's attempt to send the National Guard to the state of Illinois, dealing a setback to the administration.

The court denied the Trump administration's request in a 6-3 vote.

"At this preliminary stage, the government has failed to identify a source of authority that would allow the military to execute the laws in Illinois," the court said in an order published on its website.

The dispute dates back to Oct. 4, when Trump called 300 members of the Illinois National Guard into active federal service in Illinois, particularly in and around Chicago. The following day, members of the Texas National Guard were also federalized and sent to Chicago, according to the court.

On Oct. 9, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois issued a temporary restraining order barring the federalization and deployment of the National Guard in Illinois.

The decision was upheld on Oct. 16 by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, which allowed the administration to federalize the National Guard but not to deploy its members.

The Trump administration then appealed to the Supreme Court. ■