A member of the 49th Military Police Brigade from California, which is part of the Military Police Brigade of the National Guard, walks the ground at Camp Whitcomb, Oregon National Guard. File. | Photo: Reuters
US President Donald Trump illegally ordered the deployment of National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon, a federal judge ruled on Friday (Nov. 7, 2025), a legal block to the administration’s use of the military in American cities.
The ruling by US District Judge Karin Immergut was the first to permanently block Mr Trump’s use of military force to quell protests against immigration authorities. Trump is also trying to do it in Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington, under the leadership of Democrats. It replaces her temporary order that prevented the Portland deployment.
Ms. Immergut, a Trump appointee, rejected the administration’s claim that protesters at the immigration detention center were waging an uprising that legally justified sending in troops.
Mr. Trump’s attempts to use military force to quell the unrest are a sharp break with longstanding but rarely tested norms against the deployment of troops on US soil.
The Trump administration is likely to appeal the ruling on Friday, and the case could eventually reach the US Supreme Court.
In September, the Portland and Oregon Attorney General’s Offices sued. They argued that the Trump administration was exaggerating random violence to justify sending in troops under a law that allows presidents to do so in the event of an uprising.
Dueling narratives emerged during the three-day trial. Justice Department lawyers described the brutal siege that engulfed federal agents, echoing Trump’s description of the city as “torn by war.”
“For months, the agitators have used violence and threatened violence against the men and women who serve our country,” attorney Eric Hamilton told the court.
Lawyers for Oregon and Portland said the violence was rare, isolated and contained by local police.
“This case is about whether we are a constitutional or martial law country,” said Portland attorney Caroline Turko.
A Reuters A review of court records found that at least 32 people have been charged with federal crimes related to the protests in Portland since they began in June.
Of the 32 defendants, 11 pleaded guilty to official crimes, and those convicted received a suspended sentence. One protester, who lunged at an officer with a knife and missed, pleaded guilty to intimidation and could face up to 20 years in prison.
About half of the defendants were charged with assaulting federal officers, including 14 felonies and seven misdemeanors. Two cases were closed by the prosecutor’s office without explanation.
The charges describe protesters kicking and shoving officers, usually while resisting arrest. They also spat at officers and threw rocks, a water bottle and a kitchen knife, prosecutors said. The photo shows officers with scratches, cuts and other minor injuries.
Democrats said Mr. Trump was abusing military powers reserved for true emergencies, such as an invasion or armed insurgency.
Ms. Immergut blocked Mr. Trump from deploying troops in Portland with an October 5 temporary order.
The U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals is hearing the Trump administration’s appeal of the decision.
Three judges, including Ms. Immergut, issued preliminary rulings that Trump’s National Guard deployment was prohibited under emergency legal powers invoked by his administration.
Published – 08 Nov 2025, 07:32 IST
