A federal judge on Saturday blocked the Trump administration from using Oregon National Guard soldiers in response to nightly protests at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Portland, Oregon.
Judge Karin Immergut, of the US District Court in Oregon, sided with Democrats who run the state government when she issued a temporary restraining order blocking the mobilisation. President Donald Trump and the defence department had ordered 200 Oregon soldiers for a 60-day deployment.
In her ruling, Judge Immergut wrote that she expected a trial court to agree with the state’s contention that the President exceeded his constitutional authority in mobilising federal troops for local work and likely violated the 10th Amendment.
The soldiers have been training on the Oregon coast and were expected to be in place by the weekend, though federal officials have not said what duties they would perform beyond assisting ICE.
The restraining order expires in two weeks. During that time, the judge is expected to rule on a request for a longer injunction against the deployment. Federal lawyers have appealed the restraining order, which is part of a larger lawsuit filed by Oregon and Portland that accuses the President of violating his constitutional authority.
Chicago next target
Trump authorised the deployment of 300 Illinois National Guard troops to protect federal officers and assets in Chicago on Saturday, marking the latest escalation of the his use of federal intervention in cities.
New York Times News Service