Judge Blocks Trump’s National Guard Deployment to Portland
A federal judge has ruled that President Donald Trump cannot deploy National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon. The decision, issued on September 30, 2023, comes in response to the President’s announcement to send 200 National Guard members to the city amid ongoing protests. The Trump administration has indicated plans to appeal the ruling.
District Judge Karin Immergut, a Trump appointee in 2019, emphasized the importance of maintaining civil authority and protecting citizens from governmental overreach. In her ruling, she stated, “This country has a longstanding and foundational tradition of resistance to government overreach, especially in the form of military intrusion into civil affairs.” She further clarified, “This is a nation of Constitutional law, not martial law.”
During his second term, Trump has previously deployed National Guard troops to cities such as Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., while threatening similar actions in other locations, including Chicago and Memphis. In several instances, federal judges have challenged these deployments, deeming them unconstitutional.
Protests in Portland have primarily focused on the actions of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement office. These demonstrations had seen a decline in attendance, with only a few dozen participants prior to Trump’s announcement. Judge Immergut noted, “Overall, the protests were small and uneventful,” asserting that the President’s decision was “simply untethered to the facts.” On the day Trump announced his intent to deploy the National Guard, a large protest march in the city resulted in zero arrests.
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield criticized the proposed deployment, stating, “Portland is not the president’s war-torn fantasy. Our city is not ravaged, and there is no rebellion.” He reaffirmed that the members of the Oregon National Guard should not be used as political tools in what he described as “political theater.”
The ruling reflects the ongoing tension between state and federal authority, particularly regarding law enforcement and civil rights. As the situation in Portland continues to develop, both the local government and the federal administration will have to navigate the complex landscape of public safety and constitutional rights.
