The U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the deployment of 200 Oregon National Guard troops under federal authority on Sunday, following President Donald Trump's announcement to send military forces into Portland.
The move aims to protect federal immigration facilities from what Trump described as attacks by "domestic terrorists."
Oregon's Democratic leadership responded swiftly with a federal lawsuit, accusing the president of overstepping his authority.
President Trump revealed his plans on Saturday via social media, directing the Pentagon to provide troops to safeguard "war ravaged Portland" and Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities under siege from Antifa and other groups.
He authorized the use of "full force, if necessary."
The memorandum signed by Hegseth called the troops into federal service for 60 days, effective immediately, addressed to the state's top military officer.
The deployment surprised several Pentagon officials, who learned of it through Trump's post.
Portland Mayor Keith Wilson and other state officials also discovered the order on social media.
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek objected directly to the president, stating in a response that "Oregon is our home — not a military target."
Democratic Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield filed the lawsuit in federal court in Portland against Trump, Hegseth, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
The suit argues that the deployment infringes on the state's sovereign power to manage its own law enforcement and National Guard resources.
It describes Trump's claims of Portland as a city "under siege" from "domestic terrorists" as baseless and hyperbolic.
The lawsuit notes that protests against ICE in Portland since June have been small and contained, with fewer than 100 people gathered outside a federal building on Sunday evening.
Federal officers have arrested more than two dozen individuals since June, mostly in the initial month.
Violent crime in Portland dropped significantly in the first half of 2025, with homicides falling 51 percent compared to the previous year, per preliminary data from the Major Cities Chiefs Association.
This deployment fits a pattern since Trump's return to the presidency in January, where he has focused on crime despite falling rates in many cities.
Troops have been sent to Democratic-led areas including Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Memphis, and Chicago.
Past efforts, such as the 2020 federal response to George Floyd protests in Portland, drew criticism from civic leaders who said they escalated rather than quelled unrest.
Protests against the administration's immigration policies, including mass deportations and conditions at ICE facilities, persist nationwide.
A recent deadly shooting at an ICE facility in Texas, which Trump attributed to the "radical left" without evidence, preceded the Portland announcement.
The deployment's authorization for "full force" raises questions about potential use of lethal measures, though troops may employ force in self-defense during domestic operations.
Rayfield emphasized in a statement that sending 200 troops to guard a single building is not normal.
The Pentagon has not commented on the matter.