A federal judge has permanently blocked Donald Trump from deploying the National Guard to Portland — and this is a huge win for the Constitution.
U.S. District Court Judge Karin Immergut, a Trump appointee, ruled that the President did not have the legal authority to federalize the National Guard in this situation. Her 106-page decision makes it clear: the protests in Portland, while tense at times, did not meet the conditions required by U.S. Code 12406 for federal intervention.
Let’s be clear on why this matters:
It reinforces state sovereignty.
It upholds checks and balances.
It limits executive overreach.
The law only allows the President to deploy the National Guard under three specific circumstances without Congressional approval:
An invasion or threat of invasion.
A rebellion against the U.S. government.
When the President cannot execute federal law with regular forces.
None of those applied here — and the judge rightly said so.
This wasn’t a partisan move. This was a constitutional one. Even a Trump-appointed judge recognized that no president, regardless of party, should have unchecked power to send in troops against U.S. citizens.
That’s how our system is supposed to work. The Constitution stood tall today — and that’s something everyone should celebrate.
