Ƶ and Ƶ of Oregon Condemn President Trump’s Deployment of Federalized Oregon Troops and Armed Federal Agents to Portland

Affiliate: Ƶ of Oregon
September 28, 2025 8:00 pm

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PORTLAND, OR — Today, the Trump administration Title 10, federalizing 200 members of the Oregon National Guard to deploy to Portland over Governor Tina Kotek’s objections.

On Saturday, the President falsely that the city was “war ravaged” and directed the Secretary of Defense to send troops to “protect” ICE facilities purportedly “under siege” from "domestic terrorists.” Over the last week, the federal government has sent additional law enforcement agents to Portland. Meanwhile, state and local officials have emphasized that protests near the ICE facility in Portland have for months been small, peaceful, and “frequently sedate.”

This is the latest move in the Trump administration’s continued threats against American cities, including his deployment of armed federal agents and military troops to Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and Memphis. It follows the President’s recent memorandum baselessly labeling nonprofits and activists he disagrees with “domestic terrorists.”

"This major escalation from the President and the federal government has no place in our politics or our communities,” said Sandy Chung, Ƶ of Oregon’s Executive Director. “Oregonians have for months been exercising their constitutional right to criticize cruel federal policies. A forcible deployment of federal troops and armed law enforcement violates our right to govern ourselves and endangers our families and freedoms.”

President Trump’s actions come at a time when the administration has cut billions from proven programs that support successful, safe, and healthy Oregon communities, including healthcare, education, and basic social services.

“It is an abuse of presidential power, very disrespectful to and a misuse of our service members, and a reckless waste of our tax dollars to make Oregon a federal target for the purpose of bullying people for political theater,” said Chung.

Troops deployed under the provision the President invoked, 10 USC § 12406, are prohibited under the centuries-old Posse Comitatus Act from “direct enforcement of the law.” A federal judge in California recently found that federal orders given to California National Guard troops forcibly deployed under the same provision caused them to violate that law. Federal agents and troops are generally not trained in local policing or de-escalation.

“Like for other cities, President Trump’s justification for deploying troops and armed federal agents to Portland is blatantly false and inflammatory, as well as jeopardizes residents’ fundamental liberties,” said Hina Shamsi, director of the Ƶ’s National Security Project. “After a harrowing week for our First Amendment freedoms, we see the President’s strategy for what it is—an attempt to create conflict where there is none, sow fear in our communities, and intimidate people from exercising their constitutional rights. But we won’t be cowed, and we can’t let this President normalize military and armed federal policing in our country. This is not how a healthy democracy works.”

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