A Trump-appointed judge halted the President’s plans to send National Guard troops to Portland. She had to rule twice over the weekend: first to block the Oregon National Guard's deployment, then to stop California and Texas National Guard troops from coming. “The President’s determination was simply untethered to the facts,” wrote U.S. District Judge Karin J. Immergut Saturday.
Did Trump ease off?
Not that anyone has seen. After the first ruling, the President criticized the judge — and continued to lie and exaggerate: “Portland is burning to the ground,” he claimed Sunday, citing supposed TV and newspaper stories. “The politicians are afraid for their lives.”
Despite the judge's first order, Trump went ahead and attempted to deploy more National Guard troops — from California and Texas. That move earned the U.S. Department of Justice attorneys a scolding:
“How could bringing in federalized national guard from California not be in direct contravention to the temporary restraining order I issued yesterday?” Judge Immergut said in an emergency hearing Sunday. “Aren’t defendants simply circumventing my order?” she added. “Why is this appropriate?”
Will Trump stop now?
Trump said on Monday that if the courts decide against his National Guard deployments, he might consider declaring an insurrection and sending in the military anyway — to "get around" any court orders. The 1807 Insurrection Act, which granted presidents emergency powers, was last used in 1992, when riots followed the beating of a Black man, Rodney King, by white police officers — the New York Times reports.
It’s not clear if the judge will look kindly on any approach that involves sending in troops, given her orders, the Oregonian reports.
How long does the current restraining order remain in place?
Two weeks — or until another judge steps in.
The U.S. Department of Justice filed an appeal of the judge’s ruling. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals could rule on the matter anytime this week.
If that appeal fails, the Portland judge is likely to rule on whether to continue to block troop deployments for a longer period of time.
What else might impact this?
Chicago and Illinois are also suing to halt troop deployments, with a hearing set for Thursday. Unlike Portland, Chicago is already seeing a massive crackdown by ICE, with 800 arrests in recent weeks — including an alarming instance where officers detained everyone in a single apartment building last week. In Portland, it’s been all about the ICE building so far.
