Journalism of Courage
A US federal judge has temporarily restrained President Donald Trump’s administration from deploying 200 Oregon National Guard troops in the city of Portland while the lawsuit challenging the decision plays out in court. Trump had earlier announced he would send in troops to Portland to protect what he calls a “war-ravaged city”.
The ruling by US District Judge Karin Immergut, who was nominated by Trump, is a setback for the White House which was planning to deploy the military to Portland and other cities which the president describes as “lawless” and stricken by crime and disorder, even after objections and criticism by the Democratic leaders the city is being run.
The temporary restraining order issued by Judge Karin Immergut pending further arguments in the suit will expire in 14 days on October 18.
The judge, wrote in the order, that Oregon and the city of Portland “are likely to succeed on their claim that the President exceeded his constitutional authority and violated the Tenth Amendment,” CNN reported.
“Whether we choose to follow what the Constitution mandates with respect to these three relationships goes to the heart of what it means to live under the rule of law in the United States,” she wrote.
The complainant has accused the Trump administration that a deployment of National Guard troops in Portland, Oregon would violate the US Constitution and the federal law which restricts the military from being used to enforce domestic laws.
The lawsuit was filed on September 28 by Democratic Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield’s office, a day after Trump declared that he would send National Guard troops to Portland in order to protect federal immigration facilities from “domestic terrorists.”
The Trump administration, on the other hand, has been highlighting a renewed unrest and protests in Portland, Chicago to justify the deployment of military personnel in the two Democratic-run cities.
(with inputs from Reuters, AP)
