Judge Rules Trump Lacked Authority to Send National Guard to Portland
A U.S. judge has ruled that President Donald Trump cannot deploy National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon, marking the end of a lengthy legal dispute over the limits of presidential power. The court found that Trump had violated federal law by attempting to send troops to the city against the wishes of state and local officials.
The decision, issued by U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut—a Trump appointee—makes permanent an earlier temporary order that had already blocked the deployment. This marks the first time the Trump administration has been permanently prohibited from sending federal troops into a U.S. city.
Judge Immergut clarified that her ruling does not prevent the president from ever using the National Guard but stated that in Portland, “there was no lawful basis to federalize the National Guard,” as there was no rebellion or threat that justified such action. She also determined that the move violated the 10th Amendment, which reserves powers not granted to the federal government for the states.
The Trump administration is expected to appeal, potentially bringing the issue before the Supreme Court.
The dispute stems from protests in Portland over federal immigration raids, part of broader unrest in several Democrat-led cities. While the Justice Department described Portland as “war-ravaged,” local officials maintained that the protests were largely contained.
“This case is about whether we are a nation governed by constitutional law or martial law,” said Portland’s attorney, Caroline Turco, underscoring the broader implications of the ruling.
