JUDGE TEMPORARILY HALTS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S TROOP DEPLOYMENT IN PORTLAND, OREGON . (PHOTO).

 Judge temporarily halts Trump administration’s troop deployment in Portland, Oregon 

A federal judge in Oregon temporarily blocked the Trump administration from deploying National Guard troops in Portland, issuing a ruling Saturday in a lawsuit filed by the state and city. U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut’s order, which is in effect pending further arguments, cited the relatively small scale of protests in the city and warned that allowing the deployment could infringe on Oregon’s state sovereignty.

“This country has a longstanding tradition of resistance to government overreach, especially in the form of military intrusion into civil affairs,” Immergut wrote. “This is a nation of Constitutional law, not martial law.” The Trump administration filed a notice of appeal to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals late Saturday. The lawsuit was filed last week after the administration announced it would federalize 200 Oregon National Guard troops to protect federal buildings, with the president describing Portland as “war-ravaged.” Oregon officials called that characterization exaggerated, noting that recent nightly protests outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility typically drew only a few dozen participants.

Immergut wrote that while the president generally has broad authority to federalize the National Guard in situations where local law enforcement cannot enforce federal law, that standard was not met in Portland. The plaintiffs demonstrated that the demonstrations at the ICE facility were mostly peaceful and “small and uneventful” before the president’s order. “The President’s determination was simply untethered to the facts,” she concluded.

White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said the administration would appeal. “President Trump exercised his lawful authority to protect federal assets and personnel in Portland following violent riots and attacks on law enforcement — we expect to be vindicated by a higher court,” she said. Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield called the ruling “a healthy check on the president” and emphasized that “Portland is not the president’s war-torn fantasy” and that the National Guard should not be used for political theater.

Trump has deployed or threatened troops in multiple U.S. cities, including Los Angeles, Washington, Chicago, and Memphis, often in Democratic-led areas. Last month, a federal judge blocked much of the president’s deployment in Los Angeles, ruling it illegal while allowing a limited number of troops to remain, provided they do not enforce civilian laws; the administration has appealed.

Portland protests have been geographically limited, covering only a small section of the city. They increased in size after the Sept. 28 announcement of the guard deployment, with police reporting a peaceful march of thousands downtown earlier in the week and only minor arrests for vandalism or assault. On Saturday, prior to the ruling, about 400 people marched to the ICE facility, including families and elderly participants. Federal agents responded with tear gas and less-lethal projectiles, arresting at least six people. Later, agents again deployed tear gas on a crowd of roughly 100.

This is not the first time federal officers have been deployed to Portland. In 2020, during protests following George Floyd’s death, federal agents were sent to protect federal property, sparking clashes with demonstrators and drawing criticism over excessive force. A Department of Homeland Security inspector general report later noted that while the federal government had authority to deploy the officers, many lacked proper training and equipment. The administration also settled an ACLU lawsuit over excessive force, compensating plaintiffs for injuries sustained during those protests.