Federal Judge Blocks Deployment of National Guards to Portland

A federal judge has issued a temporary block against President Trump’s plan to send 200 national security guards to Portland.

US District Judge Karin Immergut granted a request for a temporary restraining order from officials in Oregon and Portland, which halts the implementation of a memo from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. This memo aimed to authorize the deployment of troops despite state objections.

The judge emphasized, “This is a country with constitutional law, not martial law.”

Immergut also denied a request from the Trump administration to suspend her order while it pursues legal action. This ruling is set to last for 14 days but could be extended, pending a court appearance scheduled for October 29th.

Last month, state and city officials filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration after claims that the city, particularly the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office, was “under siege.”

During a hearing on Friday, state attorneys argued that Trump’s decision to send troops was unfounded. Oregon Senior Deputy Attorney General Scott Kennedy characterized it as “based primarily on fictional stories” regarding public safety. Meanwhile, Representative Caroline Turco from Portland stated that Trump’s view of the city was “not reality on earth.”

For some time, Trump has labeled Portland as a stronghold of the far left, alluding to the ongoing protests following George Floyd’s tragic death in 2020, which have evolved into persistent riots.

The Trump administration contended that the courts should uphold the president’s authority to federate the National Guard. Department of Justice attorney Eric Hamilton described Portland’s ICE facilities as being “besieged by vicious and cruel extremists,” which led to the temporary closure of the Department of Homeland Security over the summer.

At one point, the judge questioned if any “sovereign interest” was really at stake, to which Hamilton responded that the National Guard’s mission was inherently a federal responsibility.

In her ruling, Immergut acknowledged that while the president deserves a significant amount of respect, it doesn’t equate to overlooking the facts on the ground. “The president’s resolve was simply ignored by the facts,” she remarked.

Updated at 8:18pm.