How quickly National Guard troops could get to Portland
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Federal agents disperse a crowd in front of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Portland last week. Photo: Mathieu Lewis-Rolland/Getty Images
About 400 National Guard troops in Oregon remain on standby — trained, stationed and waiting on a court order that could green-light their deployment into Portland.
The big picture: A ruling by an appeals court Monday in President Trump's favor moved his administration one step closer to sending federal troops to the city, while state leaders continue to press for clarity on the mission and timeline.
By the numbers: Approximately 200 soldiers from the Oregon National Guard are at Camp Rilea, a training base near Astoria, Gov. Tina Kotek said at a press conference this week.
- Another 200 soldiers from the California National Guard, who were performing a protection mission in Los Angeles, are at Camp Withycombe in Happy Valley.
- Both are federalized under Title 10, meaning they'd operate under U.S. Northern Command — not state control.
Plus: The bases are within quick reach of Portland (roughly 30 minutes to two hours away) if a federal judge lifts the remaining freeze on deployment.
- Troops already mustered in Oregon could be on the ground in Portland within 24 hours, Randy Manner, a retired general and former top National Guard official, told Axios.
- Under Trump's direction, troops would be mobilized for an initial 60 days.
Follow the money: The expected cost of a troop deployment to Portland to federal tax payers is upward of $10 million, according to earlier estimates.
State of play: During their deployment, troops would assist the Department of Homeland Security by securing federal buildings — like the Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in south Portland — and personnel, but not performing arrests or searches themselves, according to U.S. Northern Command.
- This means establishing security perimeters, initiating crowd control tactics if needed to protect federal property or personnel, according to the military command.
The intrigue: Troops could also accompany ICE agents on raids.
- "It does not mean that they will be banging down doors," Manner said, adding that they would only be there to protect federal agents from attacks.
What we're watching: Several things remain unclear, including the timeline for deployment if an official directive is given after court battles are settled, where troops will stay when they're off duty and how they'll interact with local law enforcement.
Editor's note: Geoff Ziezulewicz contributed reporting.