Overview
- U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut first barred the use of Oregon’s Guard on Saturday and on Sunday broadened the order to block deployment of National Guard units from any state to Portland, finding the president likely exceeded his authority and citing Tenth Amendment concerns.
- The administration redirected federalized California Guard members despite the initial order, with Oregon officials saying about 100 had arrived and the Pentagon noting roughly 200 were reassigned, while a Defense memo detailed plans to activate up to 400 from Texas for Oregon, Illinois and possibly other locations.
- The White House authorized roughly 300 Illinois Guard members for a Chicago deployment, prompting Governor J.B. Pritzker’s public opposition, as Oregon’s Tina Kotek and California’s Gavin Newsom also vowed new lawsuits and sought an amended restraining order.
- Administration officials say the moves aim to protect federal immigration personnel and facilities, pointing to reported confrontations in Chicago, as DHS Secretary Kristi Noem described the city as a “war zone,” a characterization disputed by local leaders.
- Litigation is shaped by a recent federal ruling that found the summer deployment to Los Angeles illegal and by detailed judicial findings that Portland’s protests have been relatively limited, with courts warning against blurring civil and military roles in domestic law enforcement.