(MENAFN) The states of California and Oregon have initiated a legal case aiming to prevent President Donald Trump's administration from sending 200 California National Guard personnel to Portland.

This lawsuit, filed on Sunday, marks the latest development amid a wave of national protests against Trump's immigration policies and his decision to involve military units in domestic law enforcement.

According to the Pentagon, the planned troop movement was intended to “support US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other federal personnel carrying out official duties, including enforcing federal law and protecting federal property.”

These remarks underline the federal government’s rationale for the deployment, which has sparked widespread criticism.

California’s Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom condemned the action, describing it as “a breathtaking abuse of the law and power.”

Both California and Oregon argue that bringing in National Guard units from outside the state represents an unprecedented extension of federal power, one that necessitates a specific judicial ruling before it can proceed.

A federal judge based in Oregon has already placed a temporary hold on the deployment of National Guard forces to Portland, covering units not only from California but also from other states.

This judicial order reflects the court’s concern over the legality of such an operation.

Governor Newsom and California Attorney General Rob Bonta have formally aligned with Oregon in urging Judge Karin Immergut to prolong the existing court injunction and to prevent the movement of California troops to Oregon.

The legal stay will continue to be in effect until at least October 19 as the case moves through the courts.

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