A federal judge has blocked President Donald Trump’s order to deploy hundreds of California National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon, ruling that the move violated both federal law and the Tenth Amendment.
U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut, a Trump appointee, said the order ignored her earlier decision issued Saturday, which barred the deployment of Oregon’s own National Guard to the city. She questioned Justice Department attorneys, asking how federalizing California troops could comply with her previous temporary restraining order (TRO).
The ruling prohibits the use of troops from any state in Oregon. California Governor Gavin Newsom, who challenged the order, celebrated the decision on X, writing, “Trump’s abuse of power won’t stand.”
Before the ruling, the Pentagon confirmed that around 200 California Guard members were being reassigned from Los Angeles to Portland, and Oregon Governor Tina Kotek said roughly 100 had already arrived.
The White House defended Trump’s authority, citing U.S. Code 12406, which allows the president to mobilize the National Guard to protect federal property. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt argued the move was justified by “ongoing violence” near a federal immigration facility in Portland.
Earlier this year, Trump had also deployed California Guard troops to Los Angeles following protests tied to immigration enforcement — a decision now facing separate legal challenges.
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