California and Oregon Sue Trump Over National Guard Deployment to Portland
California and Oregon have filed a lawsuit to block the Trump administration’s plan to deploy 200 California National Guard troops to Portland amid nationwide protests. The legal challenge comes as tensions rise over the use of military force in domestic settings, with the states arguing that the deployment constitutes an overreach of federal power.
The Pentagon has stated that the troops will support US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other federal personnel carrying out official duties, including enforcing federal law and protecting federal property. California’s Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, condemned the deployment as a ‘breathtaking abuse of the law and power,’ asserting that the deployment of out-of-state guard troops requires a separate court decision.
A federal judge in Oregon issued a temporary block on any deployment of National Guard troops to Portland, including those from California, and the order will remain in place until at least October 19 as the legal challenge proceeds. The dispute follows a prior ruling by Judge Immergut that blocked the Trump administration from deploying Oregon’s own National Guard to Portland amid protests.
Trump has claimed that Portland is ‘burning to the ground,’ a statement local officials have denied. The situation highlights broader tensions between states and the federal government over the use of military force in domestic settings, with protests continuing in several US cities over immigration enforcement issues.
Protests erupted over the weekend in several US cities, with hundreds gathering outside Portland’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility. Demonstrators clashed with federal officers during late-night rallies that led to several arrests. Smaller solidarity marches were also held in Seattle, San Francisco, and Denver.
Trump previously deployed about 2,000 National Guard members and 700 Marines to Los Angeles in June to quell unrest over immigration raids. Immigration enforcement was a central theme of his 2024 election campaign, influencing many of his domestic policy decisions.