Trump has ordered 200 National Guard troops to Portland, sparking a lawsuit from Oregon officials who call the deployment “unlawful” and politically motivated.
Nepal Verified News
Mon Sep 29 2025
US President Donald Trump has ordered the deployment of 200 National Guard members to Portland, Oregon, for two months to "protect federal property" in the city. The decision, outlined in a memo from US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, comes as protests against immigration detention centres continue, BBC reported.
The move has sparked fierce backlash in Oregon. State Attorney General Dan Rayfield filed a lawsuit on Sunday, calling the deployment “provocative and unlawful,” warning it could escalate tensions rather than restore calm. Governor Tina Kotek echoed the criticism, insisting that Portland remains “safe and calm” without the need for federal intervention.
Trump, however, defended the action, claiming it was necessary to protect Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities from “domestic terrorists” and Antifa, which he recently labelled a terrorist organisation, despite legal experts saying no such designation exists under US law.
Federal authorities say protesters have attacked ICE centres since June, with 26 people already facing federal charges for crimes including arson and assaulting officers. The Department of Homeland Security also accused Rose City Antifa of publishing ICE officers’ home addresses, though the group has denied responsibility.
Democratic lawmakers have compared the move to Trump’s controversial use of federal forces during the 2020 George Floyd protests. Senator Ron Wyden warned Oregonians not to fall into what he described as Trump’s attempt to “incite violence.”
Still, some Republicans praised the move. Labour Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer said Portland had been turned into a “crime-ridden warzone” and thanked Trump for acting to “protect ICE facilities.”
This latest deployment follows similar actions in Los Angeles and Washington DC earlier this year. In Los Angeles, however, a federal judge ruled that Trump’s use of the National Guard violated the Posse Comitatus Act, which restricts military involvement in domestic affairs, raising questions over the legality of the Portland operation.
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