LOS ANGELES (AFP) -- State authorities in Oregon on Sunday sued to halt the deployment of US troops to the northwestern city of Portland, a day after President Donald Trump ordered the move. The deployment would follow similar moves by the Republican president to mobilize troops against the wishes of local Democratic leadership in Los Angeles and Washington. Trump says the deployments are necessary to crack down on crime and protests against his contentious and wide-ranging mass deportation drive. In its suit, Oregon authorities said there was no need for a National Guard deployment to Portland as -- contrary to Trump's claims -- the protests there against Immigration and Customs Enforcement have been small-scale and peaceful. "But (Trump's) heavy-handed deployment of troops threatens to escalate tensions and stokes new unrest," the suit said.