Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks National Guard Deployment to Portland
PORTLAND, Ore. — A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order blocking the Trump administration from deploying National Guard troops to Portland, in a ruling that deepens the legal standoff over the use of federal force in U.S. cities.
The ruling, handed down by U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut, prohibits the federal government from sending any National Guard units — including those from other states — into Oregon, citing concerns about executive overreach and insufficient justification for military deployment in the city.
Immergut, appointed by President Trump in his first term, warned that the administration’s efforts to bypass earlier orders by sending troops from California appeared to directly contravene her prior decision. She questioned how bringing in federalized National Guard units from other states could be lawful when her initial order had already blocked deployment of Oregon’s own Guard.
In her ruling, the judge wrote that the protests near a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Portland had remained relatively small and did not rise to a level warranting military intervention. She emphasized the importance of state sovereignty, restraint in military use for civil enforcement, and constitutional limits on presidential power.
The order will remain in effect until at least October 19, unless extended. Oregon and California, along with Portland city officials, had joined forces in court to block the deployment.
In response, the federal government has said it will appeal the decision to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The legal battle highlights growing tension over the balance between federal authority and states’ rights in the deployment of military forces for domestic law enforcement.
