Judge rules California National Guard can’t deploy to Oregon

In the latest installment of California’s ongoing crusade against President Donald Trump’s second administration, a federal judge ruled on Sunday night that the president could not order California National Guard troops to deploy in Oregon, where the president claims there is civil unrest.

Portland, Oregon has become the latest blue city that the Trump administration has targeted and accused of being “war-ravaged” in order to deploy the military. Over the weekend, Trump’s attempt to deploy Oregon’s own National Guard on the ground was blocked byU.S. District Judge Karin Immergut, who was appointed by Trump himself. The administration then deployed 100 of California’s National Guard members in an attempt to go around the judge’s ruling; the same judge later blocked this act.

“The rule of law has prevailed – and California’s National Guard will soon be heading home,” said Governor Gavin Newsom in a news release. “This ruling is more than a legal victory,” he added. “It’s a victory for American democracy itself. Donald Trump tried to turn our soldiers into instruments of his political will. While our fight continues, tonight the rule of law said ‘hell no’.”

The Trump administration’s reasoning for wanting to deploy troops has been that troops are necessary to quell protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). State officials said local law enforcement could handle any issues and that “there is no rebellion in Portland,” in a motion asking the judge to rule in their favor.

In the Saturday ruling, Immergut stated that there was no basis for the administration to deploy Oregon’s troops. Then, Trump reassigned 100 of California’s troops to Oregon - against Newsom and Oregon Governor Tina Kotek’s wishes. 300 California National Guard members were expected to be in Oregon by Sunday night.

On Sunday night, the judge granted a temporary restraining order, blocking the administration “from deploying federalized members of the National Guard in Oregon.” The order is in effect until Oct. 19. On Oct. 17, a hearing will be held to determine if it should be extended for another two weeks.

The Trump administration is expected to appeal the decision.

If the judge hadn’t ruled in the state’s favor, Newsom and California Attorney General Rob Bonta said they were prepared to file yet another lawsuit against the Trump administration. The administration’s willingness to deploy the military on American cities signal that Trump and his advisors are pushing the limits of what they can get away with, officials say.

“STATES CANNOT INVADE ONE ANOTHER … America is on the brink of martial law,” said Newsom in a post on X.

Chicago is also currently a political battleground, as the president recently deployed National Guard troops on the ground against Governor JB Pritzker’s wishes. The same happened in Los Angeles this past summer. 

In Chicago, ICE has significantly stepped up its enforcement activities. Last week, witnesses reported seeing ICE raid an apartment building located in a predominantly-Black neighborhood at night, detaining U.S. citizens, zip tying young children and women and putting them in the back of U-Haul and Budget trucks. 

Texas Governor Greg Abbott also consented to sending his National Guard troops to Chicago in order to defend ICE facilities and officers from protests. Abbott posted to X Sunday night saying “I fully authorized the President to call up 400 members of the Texas National Guard to ensure safety for federal officials.”

“This disrespect for the rule of law cannot stand—and I’m glad the court agreed,” said Bonta in a news release, adding, “the President’s move to deploy the National Guard of one state over the objections of a Governor to another state over the objections of a second is well outside of the norms or practices of any President in recent history. But this President is determined to take as much power as the courts will give him. This fight isn’t over, but today’s rebuke of the President’s illegal actions is a step in the right direction.”