The Daily Fuckup

A federal judge in Oregon issued a final ruling on Nov. 7, 2025, saying the Trump administration had no lawful basis to federalize and deploy the Oregon National Guard to Portland. The decision followed a three-day trial and came after earlier court orders had already blocked the deployment while the case moved forward.

U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut said the government had not met the standard required under 10 U.S.C. § 12406, the law the administration relied on to bring the Guard under federal control. In the court’s view, the record did not show a rebellion or danger of rebellion in Portland, and it did not show that regular forces were unable to enforce the law.

The case centered on protests near the city’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility. Oregon and Portland argued that the administration overstated the threat and tried to use military force without satisfying the statute’s limits. The judge agreed, writing that the evidence did not support the deployment.

The ruling strengthened the existing block on the Guard move and gave the district court’s final merits decision against the administration. It also left the federalization plan without a lawful footing in the trial court, even as the dispute remained subject to further review.