Significant Victory in Portland as Judge Issues Final Ruling Preventing Trump from Deploying National Guard
Federal Judge Blocks Trump’s Deployment of National Guard to Portland
A federal judge in Oregon has halted the Trump administration’s efforts to deploy National Guard troops to Portland, citing insufficient evidence of widespread violence to warrant federal intervention.
Judge’s Ruling and Findings
U.S. District Court Judge Karin Immergut, appointed by Trump, issued her final order on Friday, asserting that protests near the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Portland have been “predominantly peaceful,” with only “isolated and sporadic” incidents of low-level violence. Earlier this week, Immergut initially barred troop deployment, declaring there was “no credible evidence” indicating that protests had escalated before the president’s decision to federalize the National Guard.
Context of the Ruling
Immergut determined that most confrontations occurred between protesters and counter-protesters, rather than between demonstrators and federal agents. She acknowledged that her injunction does not extend to barring the president from carrying out official duties; instead, it specifically prohibits Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem from deploying National Guard members to Oregon.
Ongoing Legal Battles
This ruling is part of a series of legal disputes involving the Trump administration’s deployment of federal forces in several cities, including Portland and Chicago, aiming to address civil unrest. Protests near the ICE facility in Southwest Portland have persisted since June, when local police designated one as a riot. In September, the state of Oregon and the city of Portland filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration following the announcement of troop federalization.
Implications and Public Response
Judge Immergut had previously issued a temporary restraining order against the deployment, a decision that the Trump administration subsequently appealed. The judge listened to three days of testimonies from law enforcement and other officials regarding conditions around the ICE facility. Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield described the ruling as “a huge victory,” emphasizing that the decision reinforces accountability and the rule of law.
Rayfield stated, “From the beginning, this case has been about ensuring that facts, not political whims, guide how the law is applied. Today’s decision protects that principle.”
