A federal judge blocked President Donald Trump’s plan to deploy 200 Oregon National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon. The ruling came from U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut, a Republican appointed by Trump, as he sought to send military forces to cities he described as lawless.

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On October 4, U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut issued a temporary restraining order preventing the Trump administration from deploying National Guard troops to Portland. The judge’s decision followed Trump’s announcement on September 27 that he would send troops to protect Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities in Portland.

Trump had described Portland as “war-ravaged” and directed Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to provide all necessary troops to protect the city and its ICE facilities from attacks by Antifa and other domestic terrorists. However, Oregon officials argued that protests in their city were small and peaceful, with only 25 arrests in mid-June and none since June 19.

The judge’s ruling highlighted a stark divide between Trump’s characterization of events and the reality described by local authorities. Democratic Governor Tina Kotek stated that Portland could manage its public safety needs without federal intervention.

On October 4, the administration also announced plans to federalize 300 members of the Illinois National Guard but faced opposition from Governor JB Pritzker, who vowed not to comply with Trump’s orders.

In a unique start to his ruling against President Donald Trump’s administration on September 30, U.S. District Court Judge William Young included a scanned handwritten note sent to his office. The note read: “Trump has pardons and tanks – what do you have?” At the top of Young’s opinion in AAUP v. Rubio, which ruled that Trump’s effort to deport foreign-born student protesters was unconstitutional.

October 8, 2025

Trump had previously deployed 800 National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., on August 11, declaring a public safety emergency.