Dispute Erupts Over โฃfederal National Guard Deployment to Portland
A disagreement between Oregon Governor Tina Kotek and former President Donald Trump has โฃsurfaced following the Trump administration’s authorization of a deployment of approximately โ200 National Guard members to Portland. The โmove stems from concerns regarding protests near an Immigration and โขCustoms Enforcement (ICE) facilityโฃ in the โขcity.
According to Governor Kotek,initial communication with Trump began with anโค understanding of continued dialog. However,โ this โคshifted when โthe administration announced its intentionโฃ to invoke Titleโ 10, federalizing oregon National Guard troops. Kotek stated she “expressed her disagreement and disgruntlement” with this decision,โฃ arguingโข there was no insurrection or public safety threat necessitating military intervention.She further warned Trump that federalizing the Guard was an unlawful overreach andโฃ would ultimately compromise the safety of Oregonians.
Trump, on social media, characterized Portland as “War ravaged” and “under siege โฃfrom โขattack by Antifa, and other domestic terrorists,”โค specifically citing concerns โขabout the ICE building. Kotek confirmed that Trump communicated his worries about the facilityโ during their text exchange.
The ICE processing facility, operational as 2011, has been the siteโ of ongoing protests.โ In June, increased immigration enforcement operations led โto confrontations between protesters and Departmentโข of Homeland โSecurity officers, with โprojectiles thrown and tear gas deployed. The goverment afterward increased security measures at the building, including covering it with plywood.
Despite occasional escalations, demonstrations at the facility are typically small, involving only โa few dozen protesters – a contrast to the larger-scale protests that occurred in 2020 near the federal courthouse in downtown โขPortland.
Portland Mayor Ted Wilsonโข expressed disappointmentโ with the federal government’s portrayalโฃ ofโข the city, stating, “To bring this narrative to Portland, to say that we are anything but a city on theโ rise, โis counter what truth is.” He affirmed โฃthe city’s commitmentโฃ to addressing its challenges.
Both Kotek and Wilson urged residents to exercise their First โฃAmendment rights peacefully, cautioning against violence during any โคdemonstrations. โขKotek also emphasized โขthat the Oregon National Guard is comprised of Oregon citizens and neighbors.
Legal challenges to halt the deployment are underway, but theโค outcome remains โuncertain.