In a striking turn of events, a federal judge has stepped aside from Oregon’s legal battle against the Trump Administration concerning the mobilization of National Guard troops to tackle violence aimed at ICE agents.
US District Judge Michael Simon, appointed by former President Obama, recused himself at the request of the Department of Justice (DOJ), citing a potential conflict of interest related to his wife, Democratic Representative Suzanne Bonamici, who has openly opposed troop deployments in Portland.
The assignment of the case now falls to Judge Karin Immergut, a Trump appointee, which adds another layer of political intrigue to an already contentious situation.
A hearing related to a request for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) is set for Friday at 10 am PST.
BREAKING: Under pressure from the Trump DOJ, Judge Michael Simon (Obama) recuses himself from Oregon’s suit regarding the activation of National Guard for immigration enforcement/ICE security. The case will now be handled by Judge Karin Immergut (Trump). The DOJ argued that comments made by Simon’s wife @RepBonamici warranted this recusal. pic.twitter.com/3Kd4M6ibad
— Josh Gerstein (@joshgerstein) October 2, 2025
In the backdrop of this judicial shuffle, President Trump recently ordered the deployment of troops to Portland, Oregon, as well as other cities governed by Democrats, aiming to safeguard ICE agents from perceived threats posed by Antifa and other radical factions.
“At the request of Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, I am directing Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to deploy all necessary troops to protect the beleaguered city of Portland, as well as any ICE facilities under siege from Antifa and domestic terrorists. Full Force is authorized if needed. Thank you for your attention!”
Predictably, Oregon’s Democrat-led administration responded with a legal challenge to halt this military surge.
Oregon’s Governor Tina Kotek has publicly denounced Trump’s plan to restore order in Portland as an outright “abuse of power,” insisting he should “stand down” and keep federal troops out, despite a long history of unrest in the city orchestrated by Antifa and other far-left activists.
During a press conference in Portland, Kotek dismissed Trump’s announcement of military assistance as a “misuse of federal troops.”
Following the DOJ’s argument for recusal based on Judge Simon’s wife’s public position, he complied, allowing for Judge Karin Immergut to take over the proceedings.
