Federal Judge Considers Blocking National Guard Deployment in Portland

U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut is reviewing a request to issue a temporary restraining order against President Donald Trump's deployment of the Oregon National Guard to Portland. The state and city argue that the federalization of the Guard infringes on state sovereignty and lacks sufficient legal justification.

During the hearing, Immergut expressed skepticism about the administration's reliance on a social media post as evidence for the deployment. She questioned, "Really? A social media post is going to count as a presidential determination that you can send the National Guard to cities? That’s really what I should be relying on?"

The court was presented with contrasting depictions of the protests near the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Portland. Eric Hamilton, representing the U.S. Justice Department, cited reports indicating a persistent threat, noting that recent protest crowds were "very energized" and included "over 50 to 60" individuals clad in black bloc attire. Conversely, attorneys for the city and state highlighted police documents showing several nights of smaller, subdued protests leading up to the deployment announcement. They referenced an email from the night before the announcement, where police observed 8-15 people, mostly sitting in lawn chairs and walking around, with "energy was low, minimal activity."

The state and city contend that the deployment could escalate tensions and cause irreparable harm. Immergut plans to issue her ruling late Friday or Saturday.