Controversial Order: Trump Deploys Troops to Portland Amid Protests

Tue Sep 30 2025 02:22:00 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Amid escalating protests against immigration policies, President Trump has ordered the deployment of troops to Portland, Oregon, asserting the need to protect ICE facilities. This decision has sparked significant backlash from both local and federal lawmakers.

President Trump has announced the deployment of troops to Portland, Oregon, in response to ongoing protests against immigration detention centers, dubbing the area as 'war-ravaged.' While the administration views this as a necessary action to protect ICE facilities, local leaders argue there's no security threat and warn against potential abuse of power. The decision has ignited a political debate on the legality and implications of deploying federal troops in domestic matters.

Donald Trump has ordered the deployment of troops to Portland, Oregon, authorising use of full force if needed to suppress protests targeting immigration detention centres.

The US president claimed the move would help protect any of our ICE Facilities under siege from attack by Antifa, and other domestic terrorists, characterising the city as War ravaged in a Truth Social post.

The announcement marks a further expansion of troop deployments in US cities amid a wider crackdown by the Trump administration on illegal immigration.

The latest move has drawn pushback from Democratic lawmakers, who said there was no need for federal troops to be deployed to Portland.

There is no national security threat in Portland. Our communities are safe and calm, said Oregon Governor Tina Kotek.

Kotek told a news conference on Saturday that any deployment would be an abuse of power, and said she was working with Oregon's Attorney General Dan Rayfield to see if any response is necessary. We will be prepared to respond if we have to, she added.

Trump's post does not specify whether he intends to activate national guard or regular US military - nor what is meant by the use of full force. We stand ready to mobilize US military personnel in support of DHS operations in Portland at the president's direction, chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell told the BBC.

As of September 8, the US Attorney's Office had brought federal charges against 26 people for crimes including arson and assaulting police officers during protests against the ICE facility.

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Portland has been targeted by protesters since early June, leading to clashes.

Lawmakers have expressed concerns about ICE targeting individuals who do not pose a public safety threat.

Despite the backlash, the move has received backing from some Republican officials, with US Labour Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer referring to the situation in Portland as a crime-ridden warzone.

Earlier this year, Trump deployed the National Guard to Los Angeles and Washington DC amidst unrest. A federal judge recently deemed the deployment in Los Angeles illegal under the Posse Comitatus Act.

The legality of Trump's decision to dispatch federal forces to Portland remains unclear, raising questions about the administration's approach to handling protests on American soil.