A federal judge late Sunday granted a temporary restraining order, blocking the Trump administration from deploying 300 out-of-state National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon, where protests have continued.
U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut, a Trump appointee, issued the ruling following an emergency evening telephone hearing. This order halts the proposed deployment of Guardsmen from states like California and Texas and follows Judge Immergut’s earlier decision prohibiting the federalization and use of Oregon’s own National Guard for the same purpose.
The court action comes as the White House sought to mobilize the troops to protect federal buildings, which President Trump described as being in a “war-ravaged” city. This move prompted legal challenges from officials in both Oregon and California.
READ: Trump Deploys California National Guard To Oregon After Judge’s Ruling
Judge Cites “Direct Contravention” of Earlier Order
During the hearing, Judge Immergut expressed concern about the administration’s persistence, telling a federal government attorney that the efforts were in “direct contravention” to her earlier restraining order.
“Aren’t [the] defendants simply circumventing my order? Why is this appropriate?” she asked.
The judge also noted in her earlier ruling that the president’s determination for deployment was “simply untethered to the facts” of the situation in Portland. She emphasized the country’s “longstanding and foundational tradition of resistance to government overreach, especially in the form of military intrusion into civil affairs,” stating, “This is a nation of Constitutional law, not martial law.”
Protests and Local Officials’ Concerns
The disagreement centers on the ongoing protests, which have focused on the city’s ICE facility. On Saturday, federal agents deployed tear gas outside the facility where hundreds had gathered, and similar demonstrations continued Sunday.
Portland Mayor Keith Wilson criticized the actions of federal agents, saying he witnessed unjustified use of force and indiscriminate use of pepper spray and impact munitions.
“This is an aggressive approach trying to inflame the situation that has otherwise been peaceful,” Mayor Wilson said, adding that he has alerted the Department of Justice’s civil rights division.
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Differing Reactions to the Ruling
The judge’s decision drew sharp criticism from the White House and praise from state leaders opposing the deployment.
President Trump had previously lashed out at Judge Immergut’s earlier rulings, stating he was “not served well by the people who pick judges” and suggesting the judge “ought to be ashamed” because, in his view, “Portland is burning to the ground.”
Conversely, California Governor Gavin Newsom applauded the ruling. “We just won in court – again,” he commented. “The court granted our request for a temporary restraining order, halting any federalization, relocation, or deployment of any guard members to Oregon from any state. Trump’s abuse of power won’t stand.”
Despite the setback in Portland, the Trump administration is reportedly preparing to send another 300 National Guard personnel to Illinois following protests in Chicago over the weekend.
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