(NewsNation) — U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was in Portland on Tuesday, where she visited an ICE facility and met with the Oregon governor, Portland mayor and local law enforcement.
Protests have been ramping up outside U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities in recent months. After meeting with the mayor, Noem told Fox News that if security measures around the ICE facility in Portland do not intensify, “We’ll send four times the number of federal officers here so the people of Portland can finally have some safety and security.”
The Trump administration is targeting Portland and other Democratic run cities in part due to protests outside of ICE facilities, which Trump has described as “under siege from attack by antifa, and other domestic terrorists.” He has also repeatedly referred to protestors as “insurrectionists.”
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U.S. Northern Command told NewsNation that approximately 200 federalized National Guard troops sent to Oregon from California remain on the ground in Portland. Additionally, 200 more Oregon National Guard troops are on standby.
Oregon gov. Tina Kotek has called for both Oregon and California troops stationed near Portland to return home.
“Our citizen soldiers deserve better than to be uprooted from their families and careers, only to be mobilized for an illegal mission,” Kotek wrote to Guillot.
Status of Oregon court case
The Trump administration is seeking a pause on the temporary restraining rulings that went in favor of Oregon, barring National Guard troops from any state from being deployed to Portland.
Oregon and the Trump administration are awaiting a decision from the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. If it issues a stay, President Trump would be permitted to deploy National Guard troops in Portland as the case plays out.
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals will hold an initial hearing on the case on Thursday, Oct. 9.
The court challenges to deployment could be why Noem is threatening to send more federal protective services to Portland, rather than the military.
Additionally, there are ongoing court challenges in California and Illinois over Trump’s potential deployment of the National Guard to those states.
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Portland residents divided on military presence
Portland residents who spoke to NewsNation had mixed reactions to the potential deployment of National Guard troops to their state.
One resident told NewsNation, “There’s absolutely no reason that our local police division can’t handle this … there’s nothing violent going on here.”
Others expressed support for increased security measures in Portland amid daily protests outside the ICE facility. One pro-ICE demonstrator described the protestors as “terrorists” who “need to be taken care of.”
“We want them to leave ICE alone and let them do their job,” he added.
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Trump threatens Insurrection Act
Amid court battles over the deployment of the National Guard in Democratic-led cities, Trump has threatened to bypass the courts by invoking the Insurrection Act.
The Insurrection Act is a federal law passed in 1807, which grants the president the authority to deploy the military or federalize National Guard troops in states to quell what is deemed an insurrection. The act is an exception to the Posse Comitatus Act, which prevents federal military forces from engaging in civilian law enforcement activities.
“Portland is on fire. Portland’s been on fire for years,” Trump said, describing the situation as “all insurrection.”
“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,” he continued.
NewsNation affiliate The Hill contributed to this report
