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President Donald Trump has authorized the deployment of U.S. forces to Portland, Oregon, granting permission to use “full force” if necessary to quell protests aimed at immigration detention centers.
Trump stated he was instructing Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to mobilize all essential troops to safeguard the war-torn city of Portland.
He asserted this action would secure Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities under threat from Antifa and other domestic extremist groups. On his platform Truth Social, he emphasized, “I am also authorizing Full Force, if necessary.”
This decision has been met with resistance from Democratic officials who argue there is no justification for federal troop deployment in the city.
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek expressed confidence that “there is no national security threat in Portland,” assuring that “our communities remain safe and peaceful.”
During a press briefing on Saturday, Kotek condemned any potential troop deployment as an “abuse of power,” and said she was collaborating with Oregon’s Attorney General Dan Rayfield to evaluate the need for a response.
“We stand ready to act if the situation demands it,” she affirmed.
Saturday’s declaration signals a continuation of the Trump administration’s heightened military presence in U.S. cities as part of a broader campaign against illegal immigration.
The president’s statement did not clarify whether the National Guard or regular military units would be deployed, nor did it specify the extent of “full force” authorization.
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell told the BBC, “We are prepared to deploy U.S. military personnel in support of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) operations in Portland at the President’s request. Updates will be provided as the situation evolves.”
Since early June, the ICE facility in Portland has been a focal point for protests, occasionally erupting into violence.
By September 8, federal prosecutors had charged 26 individuals with offenses including arson, assault on officers, and resisting arrest.
On Friday, DHS reported that demonstrators had “repeatedly attacked and besieged” an ICE processing center in Portland.
The department also announced on social media platform X that multiple people had been apprehended and charged with federal crimes.
DHS highlighted that “Rose City Antifa,” recently designated a domestic terrorist organization, illegally exposed the personal addresses of ICE officers online and through flyers, and members connected to Antifa issued death threats to DHS employees.
Earlier in the week, Trump formally declared antifa a domestic terrorist group.
Antifa—short for “anti-fascist”—is a loosely affiliated collective of primarily far-left activists.
Legal experts note there is no formal legal framework in the U.S. to classify any group as a domestic terrorist organization, and such designations might face constitutional challenges based on First Amendment protections of free speech and assembly.
Democratic lawmakers have criticized both Trump’s rhetoric and reported conduct by ICE agents in Oregon.
Senator Ron Wyden remarked on Friday about “credible” reports suggesting federal agents might be repeating tactics from 2020 when federal forces were sent to quell protests following George Floyd’s death in police custody.
“I urge Oregonians not to be swayed by Trump’s efforts to provoke unrest,” Wyden said.
Local legislators have also accused ICE of targeting individuals who pose no threat to public safety.
Democratic Representative Suzanne Bonamici stated, “ICE claimed it was arresting people with criminal records, but that’s not what we are witnessing.”
Lawmakers referenced incidents including the detention of a father near his child’s preschool and the arrest of a wildland firefighter while fighting fires in Olympic National Forest.
They also cited research from the Washington D.C.-based Cato Institute revealing that 65% of those detained by ICE lacked criminal convictions.
