Federal judge blocks National Guard deployment to Portland ordered by Trump

A federal judge blocked the deployment of 200 members of the National Guard that the Trump administration had authorized to bolster security in Portland on Saturday. Judge Karin Immergut granted a temporary restraining order preventing the execution of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's memo, which ordered the federalization of those troops, despite the state's objection.

Immergut's order is initially effective for 14 days—a period that could be extended—and the trial is set for Oct. 29. Additionally, the judge denied the administration's request to stay her decision pending an appeal.

Clash between Washington and Oregon

The legal dispute began last month, when the state of Oregon and the city of Portland jointly sued the government. They argued that the troop deployment lacked justification and that the president's decision was based on an exaggerated interpretation of the security situation in the city.

At the hearing prior to the ruling, Scott Kennedy, Oregon's assistant attorney general, asserted that Trump's decision was "based largely on a fictional narrative." Caroline Turco, Portland's legal representative, argued that the presidential perception is "not the reality on the ground" of the city.

The Trump administration's position

The Department of Justice defended the move by arguing that courts should give a "great level of deference" to the president's national security and force deployment decisions. DOJ attorney Eric Hamilton noted that "vicious and cruel radicals" had repeatedly attacked Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities in Portland, even forcing the temporary closure of those offices over the summer.

The administration also emphasized that the National Guard's mission, once federalized, falls under the authority of the central government, not the state.