A federal judge in Oregon has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from deploying the National Guard in Portland. U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut issued the ruling on Saturday, pending further arguments in a lawsuit filed by the state and city. Immergut stated that the relatively small protests in Portland did not warrant the use of federalized forces and that such deployment could infringe on Oregon's state sovereignty.

"This country has a longstanding and foundational tradition of resistance to government overreach, especially in the form of military intrusion into civil affairs," Immergut wrote. She emphasized that the nation operates under constitutional law, not martial law.

In response to the ruling, the Trump administration filed a notice of appeal to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The lawsuit was initiated after the administration announced plans to federalize 200 Oregon National Guard troops to protect federal buildings. President Trump had described Portland as "war-ravaged," a characterization that Oregon officials deemed absurd.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building in Portland has been the site of nightly protests, which have typically involved only a few dozen participants in recent weeks. Immergut noted that the federal response to the protests did not align with the actual circumstances on the ground. She stated that the demonstrations were not significantly violent or disruptive prior to the president's order, describing them as "small and uneventful."

Following the ruling, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson defended the administration's actions, asserting that President Trump acted within his lawful authority to protect federal assets and personnel in Portland. Jackson stated, "We expect to be vindicated by a higher court."

Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield praised the ruling as a necessary check on presidential power. He remarked, "It reaffirms what we already knew: Portland is not the president’s war-torn fantasy. Our city is not ravaged, and there is no rebellion."

The protests in Portland have been largely contained to a one-block area, despite the city’s size of approximately 145 square miles and a population of about 636,000. Following the announcement of the National Guard deployment, protests grew slightly. The Portland Police Bureau reported that they do not engage in immigration enforcement and only intervene in protests when there is vandalism or criminal activity.

On Saturday, around 400 people marched to the ICE facility, including families and older individuals. Federal agents responded with chemical crowd control munitions, including tear gas and pepper balls, resulting in at least six arrests. Later that evening, federal agents again deployed tear gas on a smaller crowd.

The Trump administration has previously sent federal officers to Portland amid ongoing racial justice protests following the death of George Floyd. This deployment, which aimed to protect federal property, led to significant tensions and confrontations between federal agents and demonstrators. A report from the Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general indicated that while the federal government had the authority to deploy officers, many lacked the necessary training and equipment for the mission. The government has since settled an excessive force lawsuit related to these actions, compensating several plaintiffs for their injuries.