(NewsNation) — The state of Oregon is fighting back against the Trump administration’s plan to move National Guard troops into the city of Portland.
State officials filed a lawsuit against the administration, saying they do not have the legal right to make that decision. President Donald Trump has called the city “war-ravaged” and said troops would be empowered to use “full force,” without defining what that means, to deal with antifa, a group he said has domestic terrorists.
There have been peaceful protests outside of an ICE facility in Portland, but they quickly turned tense on Sunday after crowds and agents had a heated confrontation that led to pepper bullets being fired. Two people were arrested in the aftermath of the protest.
Within hours of receiving notice that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered 200 Oregon National Guard troops to be deployed under federal authority, the state of Oregon moved to block it. Democratic Oregon Gov. Gina Kotek called the move “unnecessary and an abuse of power by the Trump administration.”
“Local law enforcement has this under control,” Kotek said. “It is not clear where folks are going to go, what they’re going to do, why they have to do it, or how long they’ll be here. All of that is up in the air, and that is not how this should be happening.”
Kotek added that the deployment should not be happening at all.
It has been a week since Trump declared antifa a “domestic terrorist organization” and his authorization for the use of full force in Portland.
‘We’ve got a handle on it’: Portland police chief
Bob Day, Portland’s chief of police, said he’s not aware when the National Guard will arrive but that his force is more than capable of handling protests, which have thus far been under control.
“I have tremendous confidence in the ability of the Portland Police Bureau to provide the highest level of safety and security for all Portlanders and for all the facilities in the city of Portland,” Day said during a news conference Monday.
“We’re in good shape. I don’t see the need for the National Guard at this time. I really believe that we’ve got a handle on it.”
Day said police have made arrests and are managing protests occurring near federal facilities but will also be “reemphasizing and re-prioritizing” how the Portland police are positioned.
Trump’s announcement of sending federal officers has brought concern among residents, he said, adding that the “perception and presence” of the National Guard could be viewed as an “escalation” of violence by residents.
“We see both politics and operations collide here,” he said. “We have practical things that are happening on the ground, where Portlanders have a right to feel safe, and then we also have a lot of politics going on behind the scenes, which is not lost on any of us.”
Day also reiterated that Portland police would not be engaging in any immigration enforcement or facilitation with federal officers.
The police chief added that he is “frustrated” by the narrative being spread about his city being out of control.
“We’ve seen Portland portrayed through the events of 2020 and 2021, and what’s actually happening in the response that we’re seeing, both from Portlanders and Portland Police Bureau, is not in line with that national narrative.”