Trump's National Guard Deployment Blocked by Federal Court in Portland
Full Transcript
A federal judge has permanently blocked former President Trump's attempt to deploy the National Guard to Portland, Oregon, ruling that the action was unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut, appointed by Trump, issued a 106-page ruling stating that Trump exceeded his authority when he federalized the National Guard troops.
According to ABC News, the judge noted that the deployment was not requested by local officials, including Oregon's governor, and was not justified by evidence of a rebellion or danger of rebellion, which is required under Title 10 of federal law.
The ruling follows a three-day trial where Immergut found that protests at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Portland were predominantly peaceful, with only isolated instances of violence, countering the Trump administration's claims of widespread unrest.
The court concluded that neither state nor federal officials indicated that the situation warranted military intervention, as reported by CBS News. Trump's move to deploy around 200 Oregon National Guard troops was part of a broader strategy to use federal forces to quell protests in Democratic-led cities, a tactic that faced legal challenges across several locations, including Chicago and Los Angeles.
In her ruling, Immergut emphasized that the President's assessment of conditions in Portland, which Trump described as 'war-ravaged,' was 'simply untethered to the facts.' This decision marks a significant legal setback for the Trump administration, with Judge Immergut stating that the President's actions violated the 10th Amendment, which reserves states' rights to manage their own militias.
According to Fox News, the judge acknowledged that while her ruling could be subject to higher court review, it currently stands as a significant check on federal authority in state matters. Oregon Governor Tina Kotek welcomed the ruling, calling it a validation of the state's sovereignty and a rejection of what she termed a gross abuse of power by the Trump administration.
The administration, however, has indicated plans to appeal the decision, continuing the contentious legal battle over the deployment of the National Guard. The case follows a series of similar legal challenges that have emerged as the Trump administration has sought to use federal authority in response to civil unrest, raising ongoing questions about the balance of power between state and federal governance.
The appeals process is expected to unfold in the coming weeks, with implications for how federal forces can be deployed in domestic situations, especially in the context of protests and civil rights issues.