California National Guard members deployed to Portland as ICE protests persist

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Sunday that President Trump has deployed 300 California National Guard members to Portland. Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek also confirmed the deployment, stating 101 California troops already arrived in Oregon by plane Saturday night, with more on the way.

This comes in spite of a Saturday ruling from a federal judge in Oregon,

which temporarily blocked the Trump administration from deploying the National Guard in Portland.

U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut issued the order pending further arguments in the suit, brought on by the state and city, noting the protests did not justify the use of federalized forces and allowing the deployment could harm Oregon’s state sovereignty.

However, the Trump administration filed a notice of appeal to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals late Saturday.

Then Gov. Newsom confirmed in a post on X that President Trump had deployed the California National Guard personnel, who are currently on their way to Oregon.

Additionally, Newsom pledged Sunday to fight the move in court.

“His deployment of the California National Guard to Oregon isn’t about crime. It’s about power,” Newsom said in a statement. “He is using our military as political pawns to build up his own ego. It’s appalling. It’s un-American. And it must stop.”

In a release, Newsom’s office noted the California troops being sent to Portland had originally been federalized months ago in response to the protests in Los Angeles back in June.

“Conditions that never necessitated their deployment in the first place, and have long since subsided anyway,” they added.

Oregon leaders have also formally denounced the move, including Gov. Kotek, who noted she received no notification from the federal government regarding this action.

“This action appears to intentional to circumvent yesterday’s ruling by a federal judge. The facts haven’t changed. There is no need for military intervention in Oregon. There is no insurrection in Portland. No threat to national security,” the governor said in a release. “Oregon is our home, not a military target. Oregonians exercising their freedom of speech against unlawful actions by the Trump Administration should do so peacefully. I will continue to keep the public apprised. As Governor, I will continue to fight to uphold the rule of law and the right to govern ourselves.”

Portland Mayor Keith Wilson argued the action “threatens to inflame a community that has remained peaceful” and that their legal team is working on other steps to enforce Judge Immergut’s order.

“Portland remains committed to protecting the right to protest and safeguarding our community’s safety. I’ve said from the very beginning, the number of federal troops needed or wanted in our city is zero,” Mayor Wilson said. “We are also committed to peaceful, purposeful protest, and the legal process. I urge federal leadership to honor the court’s judgment and suspend any deployments that defy it. Portland will defend the rule of law and the rights of our residents.”

Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield reaffirmed his intent to hold the Trump administration accountable.

“This President is obviously hellbent on deploying the military in American cities, absent facts or authority to do so. It is up to us and the courts to hold him accountable. That’s what we intend to do,” he said. “Oregonians know what’s really happening here. Portland isn’t a war zone. As a community, we need to come together and take this moment to show the world who we are: keep Portland safe while our fight in the court continues to move forward.”

In a statement to KOIN 6 News on Sunday, Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell said: “At the direction of the President, approximately 200 federalized members of the California National Guard are being reassigned from duty in the greater Los Angeles area to Portland, Oregon to support U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other federal personnel performing official duties, including the enforcement of federal law, and to protect federal property.”

The ICE building located in Southwest Portland has been the site of nightly protests that typically drew a couple dozen people in recent weeks before the deployment was announced.

However, Saturday’s protest drew a crowd of hundreds. Further, federal agents took several protesters into custody – including one of the event’s organizers – and deployed tear gas and pepper balls at least three times throughout the day.

There was also noticeable contingent of counter-protesters among those gathered at the ICE facility throughout the day.

Officials with the Department of Homeland Security have not responded to a KOIN 6 News request for details on how many people were arrested on Saturday.

Stay with KOIN 6 News as we continue to follow this story.