A federal judge has decided to pause President Trump’s deployment of the National Guard to Portland until a final ruling is made later this week.
U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut is anticipated to provide a decision on the legality of this deployment by Friday evening after a trial took place last week.
In the meantime, the judge has ordered that the deployment be halted again, considering that the legal challenges posed by Oregon and the city of Portland are likely to be successful.
“This court has heard the defense’s trial testimony and arguments and is carefully evaluating all the evidence,” Immergut noted. “The interests of justice require a comprehensive review of the exhibits and court record before a final decision is made.”
Back in September, President Trump called up hundreds of Oregon National Guard troops, stating they were necessary to address violent opposition against agents at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Portland.
This is just one of several cities where the president has sent the National Guard, with similar legal challenges underway in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington, D.C.
Trump pointed to a federal law allowing the Guard to be transferred under circumstances of invasion, insurrection, or when regular military forces cannot enforce the law. He claimed those latter conditions have been met, expressing concerns about threats to ICE agents.
However, a judge appointed by Trump stated in a ruling on Sunday that protests at ICE facilities had been “generally peaceful,” with only “occasional” disruptions for federal officers.
“While there were sporadic instances of illegal activity, federal law enforcement, alongside local law enforcement, was able to manage the situation and hold those responsible for criminal acts accountable,” Immergut wrote.
President Trump contends that judges shouldn’t have the power to question his decisions, a stance he has also brought to the Supreme Court in the Chicago case, where justices are expected to rule later this month.
This isn’t the first time Judge Immergut has blocked Trump’s deployment to Portland. She temporarily halted it early last month, although an appeals court later overturned that decision.
In the latest legal proceedings, Trump argued to Immergut that she did not have the authority to issue a new temporary injunction before this week’s final ruling.
A judge dismissed that argument and blocked the deployment, but allowed Trump to maintain federal control over the Guard. This means he remains commander-in-chief of the military, yet cannot send troops onto the streets of Portland just yet.
