New York Attorney General Joins Multi-State Effort Against National Guard Deployment

New York Attorney General Letitia James has aligned with nearly two dozen states in a legal fight against the Trump administration’s decision to send National Guard troops into Portland, Oregon.

In an amicus brief filed Wednesday with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, James joined 23 other attorneys general in challenging the federal government’s actions. The coalition argues that President Donald Trump’s deployment of National Guard forces violates the Constitution, disregards Oregon’s authority, and threatens the safety of Portland residents.

The brief urges the appeals court to uphold a lower court ruling that blocked the administration from moving forward with its deployment plan.

James and her fellow attorneys general contend that the president’s move undermines the traditional balance of power between states and the federal government. They assert that state leaders, not Washington, have the authority to decide how to manage public safety within their own borders.

The controversy centers on the Trump administration’s recent attempts to send Guard troops from Oregon and other states, including California, into Portland. Federal officials have argued that the move is necessary to quell unrest tied to demonstrations against the administration’s immigration enforcement agenda.

Trump has publicly defended the plan, previously describing Portland as “a war zone.”

The coalition of states, however, paints a different picture and argue the deployment would escalate tensions rather than maintain order, and that it represents an unlawful extension of executive power into state governance.

New York Attorney General Joins Multi-State Effort Against National Guard Deployment