Federal Judge Blocks Trump’s Troop Deployment to Portland

A federal judge has delivered a sharp rebuke to former President Trump’s effort to deploy hundreds of National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon — halting the plan in a decisive ruling on Saturday. U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut granted a temporary restraining order requested by Oregon and Portland officials, blocking the Defense Secretary’s directive that sought to federalize the Guard against the state’s wishes.

In a striking statement, Immergut — a Trump appointee — underscored the principle at stake: “This is a nation of Constitutional law, not martial law.”

The decision marks a significant defeat for the Trump administration’s push to override state objections and assert federal control. Immergut not only refused to delay her order during the appeals process but also scheduled a trial for October 29. The restraining order, initially valid for 14 days, could be extended further.

The lawsuit was filed after Trump pledged to defend what he described as “war-ravaged” Portland and to protect its U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities, which he claimed were “under siege.” But state and city attorneys dismantled those assertions in court, arguing the administration’s justification was based on exaggeration and misinformation.

Scott Kennedy, Oregon’s senior assistant attorney general, called Trump’s claims “largely a work of fiction,” while Portland’s attorney Caroline Turco said the president’s view “does not reflect reality on the ground.”

Trump has repeatedly portrayed Portland as a hub of left-wing chaos, characterizing the city’s months of protests following George Floyd’s killing as violent and anarchic. The administration argued that federal intervention was justified to counter “vicious radicals” who had “laid siege” to an ICE facility for several weeks.

When Judge Immergut questioned whether the state’s sovereignty was still relevant, Department of Justice lawyer Eric Hamilton argued the Guard’s role was purely federal. But Immergut rejected that logic, noting that while the president is owed “considerable deference,” his decisions must still be grounded in fact. “The President’s determination was simply untethered to the facts,” she wrote.

Trump’s deployment order followed a Truth Social post on September 27, in which he announced that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth would send troops to protect Portland and its ICE offices from “Antifa and other domestic terrorists,” authorizing “Full Force, if necessary.” Hegseth issued the formal memo a day later, despite Oregon Governor Tina Kotek’s clear opposition.

The ruling represents a clear assertion of judicial independence and a warning against executive overreach. It reinforces that constitutional boundaries, not presidential rhetoric, define the limits of federal power — even amid political posturing and public unrest.

As tensions over law enforcement and federal authority continue, the decision draws a firm line: maintaining order cannot come at the expense of the Constitution. For now, the courts have spoken — reminding the nation that it is the rule of law, not the will of one leader, that prevails.