Conrad Wilson

Federal law allows the president to deploy the National Guard if there's an invasion, a rebellion, or if the president cannot enforce federal laws with regular forces.

But the limitations of that authority were fiercely debated during this hearing.

Attorneys with the state of Oregon and city of Portland acknowledged occasional violence at some ICE building protests, but argued that sending in the military is an overreach of executive power.

For NPR News, I'm Conrad Wilson in Portland.

The ruling by a three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals effectively keeps the status quo on the ground in place.

For now, it keeps several hundred members of the Oregon National Guard under the president's control, but it also does not allow them to deploy to a U.S.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Portland.

The Guard has been on hold since a weekend ruling by a lower court.

Governor Tina Kotek wants to send the 200 members of the Oregon Guard back home.

She also wants federalized members of the California National Guard sent by the Trump administration to leave.

For NPR News, I'm Conrad Wilson in Portland.