A federal judge has permanently barred the Trump administration from deploying National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon, declaring the move unconstitutional and a violation of state sovereignty.
The decision, issued by U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut, solidifies an earlier temporary injunction and marks a major legal victory for the state of Oregon. The lawsuit was initiated after the Trump administration sent National Guard units to Portland without the consent of Governor Tina Kotek, citing escalating civil unrest and protests in the city.
In his ruling, Judge Karin Immergut wrote that the deployment represented “a direct assault on the autonomy of state government” and that federal intervention under those circumstances “cannot stand under the framework of the Constitution.” The court found that the administration had violated the Tenth Amendment, which reserves powers not delegated to the federal government to the states.
Oregon’s Attorney General, Ellen Rosenblum, praised the ruling as a reaffirmation of constitutional limits. “This decision upholds the balance of power that has guided our democracy for over two centuries,” she said. “No president should have the authority to override state leadership without lawful justification.”
Legal scholars believe the verdict could have long-term implications for federal-state relations. The judgment restricts future administrations from deploying the National Guard within a state’s borders without approval from state officials, except in narrowly defined emergencies authorized by Congress.
The Trump administration had defended its actions as necessary to protect federal property and maintain order, but the court found no sufficient evidence that Oregon’s government had failed to control the situation.
The ruling sends a strong message about the boundaries of executive power and reinforces the principle that states retain primary responsibility for maintaining law and order within their borders.
With the permanent injunction in place, federal authorities are now prohibited from deploying National Guard troops to Portland under the same legal reasoning used during the Trump era – a decision hailed by civil rights groups as a victory for constitutional governance and state independence.
