PORTLAND, Ore. (NewsNation) — A U.S. appeals court ruled Monday that President Donald Trump can send National Guard troops into Portland, just days after a massive turnout of 40,000 people marched in downtown over the weekend for the “No Kings” rally.
A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted the Justice Department’s request to put on hold a judge’s order that had blocked the deployment while a legal challenge to Trump’s action plays out. Portland-based U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut, who Trump appointed during his first term as president, ruled on October 4 that Trump likely acted unlawfully when he ordered troops to Portland.
One judge dissented while the other two ruled in Trump’s favor.
Immergut had blocked Trump from sending any National Guard troops to Portland at least until the end of October, and she has scheduled a non-jury trial set to begin on October 29 to determine whether to impose a longer-term block.
Saturday’s “No Kings” protest began peacefully, with tens of thousands marching through downtown. But by late afternoon, hundreds gathered outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in South Portland, where tensions quickly escalated.
Protesters teargassed in Portland
Federal agents fired multiple rounds of tear gas and pepper balls after protesters blocked the facility’s driveway and ignored repeated orders to disperse.
NewsNation cameras captured the moment agents charged into the crowd and made a targeted arrest.
As clouds of tear gas blanketed the area, some protesters threw canisters back toward agents. Others were hit by flash bangs or pepper rounds before retreating.
Resident speaks on Portland protest chaos
Residents who live nearby say the use of tear gas is affecting their homes.
“I shouldn’t be hearing civilians on my street corner yelling for a medic because they’ve just got hit with a tear gas canister or pepper balls or hurt,” said Matthew Tucker, who lives two blocks from the ICE facility. “If a country that claims to be a democracy is using this much force, man, no one’s gonna believe you. You lose credibility on the stage.”