Federal Government Drops Appeal Over Blocked Portland Troop Deployment

The Trump administration dropped its appeal of a permanent injunction that barred the deployment of hundreds of National Guard troops from Oregon, California, and Texas to Portland. Chief Judge Mary Helen Murguia of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals granted the request on February 18, 2026, leaving in place a ruling by U.S. District Judge Karin J. Immergut. Judge Immergut had previously determined that Donald Trump violated the 10th Amendment and federal code by claiming protests at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility constituted a rebellion.

Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield called the resolution a victory for the state and a check on unchecked federal power. The legal conflict coincided with state-level efforts to pass House Bill 4091, which would restrict the deployment of the Oregon National Guard for federal immigration enforcement. However, the bill lost support from Representative Alek Skarlatos, who criticized it as an anti-Trump messaging bill lacking enforcement teeth.

Parallel to the troop dispute, federal Judge Michael Simon extended a temporary restraining order on February 18 restricting federal agents at the Portland ICE facility from using tear gas, pepper balls, and rubber bullets unless facing an imminent threat. The American Civil Liberties Union is seeking a preliminary injunction to mandate officer identification, while Governor Tina Kotek and Mayor Keith Wilson issued a joint statement asserting that federal agents' actions undermine constitutional rights.