Trump Deploys National Guard to Portland Amid Immigration Protests
President Donald Trump has announced the deployment of the National Guard to Portland, Oregon, in response to ongoing protests against immigration enforcement that have turned violent. The decision, confirmed by the Oregon Military Department, will see 200 service members mobilized under federal authority to protect federal facilities and employees in the Portland area.
In his announcement on Truth Social, Trump emphasized his administration’s commitment to restoring law and order, stating that “conditions continue to deteriorate into lawless mayhem.” He expressed frustration that federal law enforcement officers have faced difficulties enforcing laws in Oregon, claiming that “ANTIFA and the Radical Left Anarchists” have been attacking officers who are simply protecting federal property and enforcing immigration laws. “We will never allow MOBS to take over our streets, burn our Cities, or destroy America,” Trump declared, framing the National Guard deployment as essential to “restoring LAW AND ORDER, and ending the Chaos, Death, and Destruction.”
The Oregon Military Department has characterized the mission as straightforward—to protect federal facilities and employees working in them. In an internal memo, Brigadier General Alan R. Gronewold acknowledged that some service members might have strong feelings about the mission but reminded them of their oath to “support and defend the Constitution and follow the orders of the President and the Governor.” He emphasized that this oath doesn’t come with conditions allowing them to “pick and choose” which missions to support. The memo also advised Guard members to be cautious about social media use, warning against posting operational information or engaging in political arguments while identifying as members of the Oregon Guard.
The deployment follows weeks of tension in Portland, where protests near an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility have resulted in vandalism and violent confrontations between demonstrators and federal agents. Fox News reported that protesters in August displayed a guillotine, set fires, and engaged in activities that required law enforcement to disperse crowds with munitions. Portland, which has been a sanctuary city since 2017, has historically resisted federal immigration enforcement efforts, creating an ongoing point of conflict with federal authorities.
Portland Mayor Keith Wilson has pushed back against the president’s characterization of the city, claiming that Trump “would not find” lawlessness in Portland today. The mayor suggested that video footage showing violence in Portland was “recycled” from five years ago and no longer reflects the current situation. “If President Trump came to Portland today, what he would find is people riding their bikes, playing sports, enjoying the sunshine, buying groceries or produce from a farmers’ market,” Wilson stated, adding that the city has “had hard conversations” and “done important work” to reform its public safety system since the earlier unrest.
This deployment represents the latest chapter in the ongoing tension between federal immigration policies and local sanctuary city practices. Attorney General Pam Bondi has previously warned that Portland’s sanctuary policies undermine U.S. interests, but the city has maintained its position of resistance to federal immigration enforcement. As the National Guard takes up its mission in Portland, the situation highlights the deep divisions in American society over immigration enforcement and the appropriate balance between federal authority and local governance. The coming days will likely reveal whether this federal intervention will calm the situation or potentially inflame existing tensions in a city with a recent history of protest and civil unrest.
