National Guard deployment to Portland blocked as Texas troops called up

A federal district judge blocked the deployment of all federalized National Guard troops to Oregon on Sunday night, after the Trump administration ordered elements of the California nad Texas National Guards to be sent to Portland. It was the latest development in a series of major orders this weekend to send the military to cities inside the United States.

After an emergency hearing, Judge Karin Immergut issued a second temporary restraining order this weekend, barring the “federalization or deployment” or any National Guard force to Oregon. That came a day after the judge blocked the Trump administration from federalizing 200 soldiers from the Oregon Army National Guard to go to Portland and hours after more than 100 federalized members of the California National Guard flew into the state. 

Shortly before, the Pentagon announced it was mobilizing “up to 400 members of the Texas National Guard,” under Title 10 authority, to deploy to Portland and Chicago. The news, contained in a memo filed with the court and signed by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, said that the soldiers from the Texas National Guard were being activated and deployed for an “initial period” of 60 days.

“On October 4, 2025, the President determined the violent incidents, as well as the credible threat of continued violence, are impeding the execution of the laws of the United States in Illinois, Oregon, and other locations throughout the United States,” Hegseth wrote.

The judge’s order blocks that deployment to Oregon; it’s unclear how many Texas National Guard members will head to Chicago. 

Although protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcements and other elements of the Department of Homeland Security have been ongoing throughout cities around the country for weeks, the Trump administration escalated its response to them this weekend. On Saturday, the administration authorized the deployment of 300 National Guard members to Chicago, after weeks of threatening to send the military to the city. That came a week after Trump ordered the Pentagon to send troops to Portland, which he had called “war ravaged.” In his order, posted to social media, Trump had authorized the use of “full force” by the military.

Following Immergut’s Saturday night order blocking the federalization of the Oregon National Guard for two weeks, the Trump administration began deploying members of the California National Guard into Oregon. They arrived in Oregon early Sunday, the first wave of the 300 California soldiers ordered to cross state lines to protect federal personnel and property. California joined Oregon in its lawsuit against the administration over the federalization and deployment of the National Guard.  Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek said that the overnight deployment happened without official notification or correspondence by the federal government. A White House spokesperson said earlier on Sunday that “President Trump exercised his lawful authority to protect federal assets and personnel in Portland following violent riots and attacks on law enforcement.”

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There have been small, daily protests outside of an ICE facility in Portland. Last night protesters gathered peacefully outside of it, per local media, before federal law enforcement fired tear gas and pepper balls at the demonstrators.  

Last month a federal judge ruled that the use of the California National Guard by federal authorities violated the Posse Comitatus Act, and ordered the remaining troops released back to the state. An appeal has blocked that for now.