The National Guard will deploy to Portland, Oregon, for the next two months under an order from President Donald Trump. At least 200 Guard members will be stationed in the city to protect federal property in areas where protests are taking place or expected, according to a memo issued by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Trump said on Saturday that he had authorized the use of full force if necessary to suppress demonstrations targeting immigration detention centers.
Oregon officials quickly pushed back. The state filed a lawsuit against the administration on Sunday, calling the deployment unlawful. Attorney General Dan Rayfield described the move as provocative and arbitrary, warning that it could inflame tensions and undermine public safety.
The decision expands the administration’s use of federal forces in American cities as part of a broader crackdown on illegal immigration. In a post online, Trump claimed the deployment would protect immigration facilities from what he described as attacks by Antifa and other domestic extremists, characterizing Portland as war ravaged.
Democratic leaders in Oregon rejected that portrayal. Governor Tina Kotek said there is no national security threat in Portland and insisted that local communities remain safe and calm.
The clash sets up a legal and political battle over the limits of federal authority in local law enforcement, with Portland once again at the center of a national debate over protest, security, and government power.
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