Portland, Oregon
Throughout the night, Oct. 4, and into the morning on Oct. 5, President Donald Trump sent over 100 “federalized” California National Guard troops to Oregon. Two hundred more are expected. The move was in response to a temporary restraining order by U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut that prevented the administration from deploying state guards to Portland, Oregon.
Demonstrators defend immigrant rights against ICE in south Portland, Oregon, Oct. 4, 2025. PHOTO: John Rudolf
The judge’s ruling came after Trump told the press he would send troops to Portland to “handle domestic terrorists.” Immergut said Portland’s small protests didn’t justify the use of federalized forces, which could harm Oregon’s state sovereignty.
Several hundred community activists, organizations and major education, health care and public employee union members protested at Portland’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities on Sept. 28. They faced 200 masked National Guard troops activated by Trump’s Department of War.
Trump’s remarks to the media are using fictional claims to send federal troops to Portland to suppress the “rebellion” taking place at the city’s ICE facility. He said that Portland is a “war ravaged, lawless, out of control city.” He told Portland Mayor Tina Kotek that it “looks like World War II” and like “the place is burning down.”
Intentionally confusing 2020 BLM demos with 2025 anti-ICE protests
Trump, stuck in the past, may be justifying his fictional description of Portland based on videos of the 2020 Black Lives Matter demonstrations. Three weeks ago, Fox News aired incorrectly dated videos of these protests to illustrate the recent anti-ICE protests. Far-right news outlets, including Turning Point USA’s Frontlines, exaggerate demonstrations taking place against the Trump regime.
Peaceful, non-violent protests at Portland’s ICE facility going on since spring usually involve no more than a dozen protesters at any one time. While protesters remained nonviolent, state violence was initiated by the national troops. Federal officers and police in military fatigues physically attacked the crowd. Portland Jobs With Justice Executive Director Tyler Fellini said, “When I saw a member of the Portland Association of Teachers being assaulted, I stepped in to support him before I was sprayed directly in the eyes with chemical agents.”
‘One of most urgent labor issues of our time’
A statement written by Fellini, called for “the abolition of ICE and the violent deportations, detentions and disappearances it carries out.” He called on the city to revoke a land use permit issued to ICE in 2011. Since then, ICE has repeatedly violated overnight detentions and detention time limits. Fellini noted: “Sunday’s use of chemical agents is one more reason why residents — especially those living near the ICE facility — are calling on the city to revoke the permit, given the grave public health risks created by ICE’s presence.
“We believe this is one of the most urgent labor issues of our time, as workers and organizers throughout our community face spurious arrests and violent repression while the Trump administration seeks to use these threats to suppress collective action to build a just and equitable society where workers and communities thrive.”
Immediately after Trump announced it had seized control of Oregon’s national reserves, Oregon’s Attorney General filed a federal lawsuit and a temporary restraining order to block deployment of the troops. He declared that Trump exceeded his authority by taking federal control of the guard away from the state.
Trump told top military commanders in Quantico, Virginia, on Sept. 30 that he wants to use Democrat-led cities as “training grounds” for the military. Portland will continue to demand: “Troops out of our city! No martial law in our cities. Stop using our streets for war preparations. No military dictatorship in the US.!”