The Texas Military Department (TMD) has announced the replacement of seven National Guard members originally deployed to Illinois amid ongoing civil unrest. This decision was made after the individuals did not meet the necessary “mission requirements,” according to a statement shared with Fox News Digital on Tuesday.

Approximately 200 Texas National Guard troops were sent to Illinois on October 7 for a 60-day mission. Their primary role was to safeguard federal personnel and property during anti-immigration demonstrations, a deployment that the Pentagon had previously confirmed.

During the routine pre-mission validation process, the Texas National Guard identified seven members who were not in compliance with the mission’s requirements. Consequently, these individuals were replaced and sent back to their home base, as confirmed by a TMD spokesperson. However, the department did not elaborate on the specific reasons behind their removal.

In a related scene, a protester wearing an American flag face mask was seen confronting Cook County Sheriffs outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Broadview, Illinois, on Saturday, October 11, 2025. The event was captured by Adam Gray for AP Photo.

A protester wearing an American flag face covering stands opposite of several Cook County Sheriffs outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Broadview, Ill., on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025.  (Adam Gray/AP Photo)

The announcement comes after a photo showing a group of service members arriving in Illinois went viral on social media, with critics speculating about their fitness.

“The Texas National Guard echoes Secretary [of War Pete] Hegseth’s message to the force: ‘Our standards will be high, uncompromising, and clear,’” a TMD spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

U.S. service members were criticized for their weight on social media after a photo of their arrival in Illinois went viral. (Erin Hooley/AP)

Hegseth in September called for service members in combat roles to meet the highest male standards for physical fitness.

Department officials did not confirm if the service members in the viral photo were the same Guardsmen removed from the mission.

Law enforcement detains a protester near a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Broadview, Ill., on Friday, Oct. 3, 2025.  (Erin Hooley/AP)

A federal judge ruled Saturday National Guard troops can stay in Illinois but cannot patrol or protect federal property. 

The decision followed a request from the Trump administration to lift a prior block on their deployment. The temporary restraining order keeps the troops in place pending further court arguments.