Judge Blocks Trump from Deploying California and Texas Troops to Portland Amid Legal Battle

Published: 06 September 2025. The English Chronicle Desk

The escalating confrontation between President Donald Trump and Democratic-led states took another dramatic turn on Sunday night when a federal judge blocked the administration’s attempt to send National Guard troops from California and Texas to Portland, Oregon. The decision by US District Judge Karin Immergut marks the second time in recent weeks that the Trump administration has been prevented from deploying troops to the city, which has become a focal point of protests against immigration enforcement and a symbol of political division.

Judge Immergut, herself a Trump appointee, ruled that there was no sufficient evidence to justify the deployment of out-of-state National Guard units to Portland. She questioned the government’s argument that such reinforcements were essential for protecting federal property and personnel, saying the move appeared to be a direct attempt to circumvent her earlier ruling that blocked the deployment of Oregon’s own National Guard without the consent of state authorities. The judge argued that allowing troops from outside the state to operate without local approval risked undermining state sovereignty and could further inflame tensions in a city already on edge.

The ruling is temporary and will remain in effect until at least October 19, but it represents a significant legal setback for Trump’s ongoing strategy of using federal and state-based military forces to address what he has repeatedly described as “out-of-control crime” in Democrat-led cities. The White House has not yet issued an official response, though the administration has previously defended the president’s actions as a lawful exercise of his authority to protect federal property and officers amid violent demonstrations.

The controversy erupted after the Pentagon confirmed that 200 members of the California National Guard had been reassigned to Portland to assist US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal personnel. California and Oregon jointly filed for a temporary restraining order to block the move, insisting that the federal government was effectively bypassing state rights.

Meanwhile, Illinois has become the second major flashpoint in Trump’s domestic troop deployment campaign. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker condemned the president’s decision to order 400 members of the Texas National Guard for assignments in Illinois, Oregon, and other states. Calling the move “Trump’s invasion,” Pritzker accused the administration of attempting to militarize American cities without the knowledge or consent of local officials. “There is no reason to send troops into any state without cooperation from that state’s government,” Pritzker told CNN, warning that the action could provoke further protests rather than ease tensions.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott, however, has pledged full cooperation with Trump’s orders, insisting that his state’s National Guard would provide security to federal officers if local authorities refused to do so. “You can either fully enforce protection for federal employees or get out of the way and let Texas Guard do it,” Abbott declared in a statement on X.

Portland, in particular, has long been a target of Trump’s criticism. The city has seen recurring demonstrations over the administration’s hardline immigration policies, which the president has framed as evidence of lawlessness fueled by what he and his supporters call “Antifa” activists. Trump recently signed an executive order designating the loosely organized far-left movement as a domestic terrorist group, further escalating rhetoric surrounding the protests.

The Portland decision came just one day after Trump authorized the deployment of 300 National Guard troops to Chicago, another Democrat-led city he has repeatedly accused of failing to control violent crime. Over the weekend, protests in Chicago turned violent, with immigration officials reporting that they fired on an armed woman after she and others allegedly rammed their vehicles into law enforcement cars. The woman later drove herself to a hospital, and her condition remains unclear.

Trump has frequently turned to the National Guard as a tool to project authority and enforce law and order in cities where he claims local officials have failed. While the National Guard is traditionally deployed by state governors for disaster relief or public safety operations, the president also has the power to mobilize units for federal missions. Over the past two years, Trump has increasingly exercised that authority, sending troops to Washington, DC, and Los Angeles, despite opposition from local leaders.

Legal challenges have followed these moves. In September, a federal judge in California ruled Trump’s deployment of the Guard to Los Angeles was illegal, citing federal laws that restrict the use of the military in domestic affairs. That decision is currently under appeal, but the ruling in Portland suggests a growing judicial pushback against Trump’s attempts to expand federal power over state-based military forces.

For now, the Portland block leaves Trump’s broader strategy in jeopardy. The president has sought to use troop deployments as a show of strength in the face of what he portrays as widespread lawlessness in Democratic cities, but judges and state leaders argue the actions risk turning local unrest into militarized conflict. With the issue far from resolved and protests showing no sign of abating, the administration finds itself locked in a contentious legal and political battle that could shape the balance of federal and state authority well beyond Trump’s presidency.