Trump says he is considering invoking Insurrection Act in Portland

President Donald Trump on Monday told reporters at the White House that he is considering invoking the Insurrection Act in Portland, Oregon, amid protests in the city over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations. 

A federal judge in Oregon has blocked the Trump administration twice so far from deploying National Guard troops to the West Coast city. The troops would have protected an ICE facility where protesters have clashed with agents.

Trump said he would invoke the act in order to send troops into the city if he felt it was necessary, but that so far conditions in Portland have not warranted such drastic action.

“Portland is on fire. Portland’s been on fire for years," Trump said. “So far it hasn’t been necessary. But we have an Insurrection Act for a reason. If I had to enact it, I’d do that. If people were being killed, and courts were holding us up or governors or mayors were holding us up, sure, I’d do that. I mean, I want to make sure people aren’t killed.”

The 19th century law allows the president to federalize the National Guard and send them into U.S. cities to quell what the sitting president deems an insurrection against the United States.

U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut, a Trump appointee, ruled late Sunday that National Guard deployment violated both federal law and the 10th Amendment. 

The Trump administration has attempted to send Oregon National Guard troops and California National Guard troops into Portland to help with the protests. Sunday's ruling extended to block all National Guard deployments to Portland.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.