President Donald Trump has sent California National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon. This comes just a day after a judge blocked him from deploying Oregon’s own guard.
About 200 guard members moved from Los Angeles to Portland over the weekend. Oregon Governor Tina Kotek said she was not informed before their arrival. California Governor Gavin Newsom also opposed the move. He called it a “breathtaking abuse of power.”
Oregon and California quickly filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. Their leaders argue there is no rebellion or national security threat in Portland. They say the president has no legal right to use state troops in this way. “This is not Trump’s Royal Guard,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta.
The federal government says the troops are needed to protect the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building. Small protests have taken place there nightly. Local leaders, however, say these protests are peaceful and cover only one block of the city.
A similar conflict is happening in Illinois. Trump ordered 300 Illinois guard members to Chicago. Governor JB Pritzker said the city does not need military involvement.
