“Military service members should be dedicated to real emergencies,” Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek said. “For the members of the Oregon National Guard, their mission is to stand up and protect Oregonians, and they will do that every day, but they are not needed in the city. They are not needed here.”
Oregon has filed a legal motion challenging the Trump administration’s activation of Oregon National Guard troops to quell so-called “civil unrest” in Portland, the state’s largest city and the site of small-scale protests against federal immigration enforcement policies.
In a separate lawsuit challenging the deployment, state Attorney General Dan Rayfield characterized the Trump administration’s legal calculus as “egregious.”
“The facts are egregious,” Rayfield said in a statement. “The President’s response to federalize 200 National Guard members for 60 days is not about keeping people safe – it’s about chasing headlines at the expense of our community.”
On Saturday, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pet Hegseth “federalized” the Oregon National Guard, ostensibly to protect federal buildings in Portland, specifically in areas “where protests are occurring or likely to occur.” President Donald Trump also posted a statement on social media calling for the use of troops with “full force.”
“Putting our own military on our streets is an abuse of power and a disservice to our communities and our service members,” Rayfield said in a statement. “The Guard is made up of our neighbors and friends, not political props. Oregon is our home — not a military target.”
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, a Democrat, has also criticized the deployment.
“I have been abundantly clear that Portland and the state of Oregon believe in the rule of law and we can manage our own local public safety needs,” Kotek said in a Saturday press conference. “There is no insurrection, there is no threat to national security, and there is no need for military troops in our major city.”
“Military service members should be dedicated to real emergencies,” she said. “For the members of the Oregon National Guard, their mission is to stand up and protect Oregonians, and they will do that every day, but they are not needed in the city. They are not needed here.”
In the same press conference, Kotek
“Our city is not the place that people think it is from years ago,” Kotek said. “Business is thriving, people are coming downtown, they are enjoying this community. We have students ready to go see ‘The Lion King’ tonight at the Keller Auditorium. People are going to the Timbers match, people are downtown shopping … Portland is doing just fine.”
The state’s emergency filing alleges that the deployment is politically motivated. In prior filings, the city noted that, while there have been recurring protests outside of an ICE facility, the size of the protests is easily management by local law enforcement.
Sources
Breaking down Portland’s emergency motion hearing to reverse National Guard deployment
Oregon files emergency measure to stop National Guard troops as lawsuit continues
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