Federal Judge Halts Trump’s Oregon National Guard Deployment Amid Legal Battle

A federal judge has temporarily blocked U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to deploy 200 Oregon National Guard troops to Portland, pending the outcome of a lawsuit challenging the move. U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut issued the ruling in Portland, marking a legal setback for Trump as he continues his efforts to send federal forces into cities he labeled “lawless,” often led by Democratic officials.

Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield filed the lawsuit on September 28, arguing that Trump’s decision violated federal law and the state’s sovereignty. The state claimed Trump exaggerated the threat posed by small, peaceful protests against his immigration policies to justify taking control of state Guard units. Oregon further alleged that Trump targeted “disfavored Democratic cities,” violating the Tenth Amendment’s protection of state authority.

Initially assigned to Judge Michael Simon, the case was later reassigned to Judge Immergut—Trump’s own appointee—after Simon recused himself due to concerns over his wife’s public criticism of the deployment. During Friday’s hearing, Immergut questioned whether Trump’s social media posts could legally justify deploying the military, expressing skepticism about their validity as official determinations.

The U.S. Department of Justice, represented by attorney Eric Hamilton, defended the deployment, claiming it was a measured response to protect the Portland Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) headquarters from “radicals.” However, Portland’s attorney Caroline Turco countered that the city’s protests were calm, with no arrests since mid-June and minimal activity preceding Trump’s declaration.

Oregon’s lawsuit adds to a growing list of challenges against Trump’s use of military forces in Democratic-led cities such as Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., where similar deployments have faced legal opposition. State leaders accuse Trump of breaching constitutional norms by using federal troops for domestic law enforcement.