200 Troops Sent to Portland — Oregon Takes the Fight to Court, But What’s Really at Stake?

Salem, OR – 28 September 2025 - In a bold federal challenge, the state of Oregon filed a lawsuit Sunday afternoon seeking to block President Donald Trump's order deploying 200 National Guard troops to Portland, decrying the move as an "illegal" overreach amid what officials describe as a peaceful city far removed from the chaos of 2020 protests.

The complaint, lodged in U.S. District Court in Portland by Attorney General Dan Rayfield on behalf of Governor Tina Kotek and the city itself, demands an emergency temporary restraining order to pause the deployment set to begin within 24 hours. The suit argues that Trump's invocation of federal authority to "suppress rebellion" is baseless, rooted in "pure fiction" and misinformation rather than any genuine threat to public safety.

The deployment stems from a small-scale protest earlier this week outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field office in downtown Portland, where dozens of activists gathered to decry federal immigration policies. Trump, citing reports of the facility being "under siege" and Portland resembling "Hell," directed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to federalize the Oregon National Guard via a Pentagon memorandum obtained by media outlets. The order activates 200 troops for 60 days to "protect federal property and personnel."

But Oregon officials contend the narrative is wildly exaggerated. "Local law enforcement has this under control," Kotek said in a fiery news conference from the state capitol, recounting a recent phone call with Trump where she urged him to reconsider. "I told the president directly: There is no insurrection, no threat to public safety that requires military intervention in Portland. He was misled—Portland is vibrant and peaceful, not the war zone he's been told about."

Rayfield echoed the sentiment, blasting the deployment as "heavy-handed" and unlawful. "This isn't based on facts; it's based on social media gossip or, worse, intentional misinformation," he said, pointing to a Fox News segment that allegedly spliced current protest footage with archival clips from the massive 2020 Black Lives Matter demonstrations that once rocked the city.

Those 2020 unrests, sparked by the police killing of George Floyd, saw federal agents briefly deployed to Portland under Trump's first term, leading to clashes and lawsuits that fueled national debates over militarized policing. Today's action revives those tensions, with critics accusing the administration of using isolated activism to justify a show of force ahead of the 2026 midterms.

The lawsuit hinges on the Insurrection Act of 1807 and related statutes, which permit presidential deployment of troops only in cases of foreign invasion, rebellion, or when state authorities are unable or unwilling to enforce laws. Oregon argues neither applies: Portland police have managed the ICE protest without incident, making arrests only for minor violations, and no widespread anarchy exists.

As of Sunday evening, the troops—drawn from Oregon's Army National Guard units—were mobilizing at armories in Salem and Clackamas County, though the suit seeks to ground them before boots hit Portland streets. Legal experts predict a swift hearing, potentially as early as Monday, given the urgency.

Reactions poured in from across the spectrum. Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, a co-plaintiff, called the move "an affront to our democracy" and vowed city resources to support the litigation. On the right, Trump allies like Hegseth defended the order on social media, posting: "Portland's radicals are at it again—time to restore order and protect our borders." House Speaker Mike Johnson praised the deployment as "decisive leadership," while Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer decried it as "authoritarian theater."

Local residents expressed a mix of frustration and fatigue. "We've moved on from 2020—why drag us back?" said barista Mia Rodriguez, 28, near the ICE office. Faith leaders and civil rights groups, including the ACLU of Oregon, rallied behind the suit, warning of eroded civil liberties.

With the case unfolding amid a polarized national landscape, Portland—once a symbol of progressive resistance—finds itself again at the epicenter of a federal-state showdown. As lawyers prepare briefs, all eyes turn to the bench: Will Oregon's gambit clip the Guard's wings, or will Trump's troops march on?