Federal judge permanently blocks National Guard deployment to Portland, ruling Trump exceeded authority

A federal judge in Oregon issued a permanent injunction Friday, permanently blocking the deployment of National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon, after ruling that President Donald Trump had exceeded his constitutional authority by ordering the forces to the city.

U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut, a Trump appointee, issued the 106-page decision, which explicitly stated in all caps: "THIS PERMANENT INJUNCTION ORDER IS IN FULL FORCE AND EFFECT." The ruling marks the first time a court has permanently blocked the president's use of military forces specifically aimed at quelling protests against immigration authorities.

The deployment was intended to protect the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in Portland amid ongoing anti-ICE demonstrations. The administration had argued that the protests constituted a rebellion, legally justifying the federalization and deployment of the National Guard. Judge Immergut rejected this argument, finding that the evidence did not support the claim that the demonstrations made it impossible for federal officers to carry out immigration enforcement duties.

The lawsuit challenging the deployment was brought by the States of Oregon and California, alongside the City of Portland. The Governor of Oregon had previously objected to the use of the troops within the state.

The permanent injunction follows a series of temporary orders issued by Judge Immergut last month. On October 4, she issued a temporary restraining order blocking the deployment of the Oregon National Guard. One day later, a second order was issued blocking the deployment of National Guard troops drawn from other states to Portland streets.