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Federal Agents Fire Tear Gas at Portland Protesters, Mayor Demands ICE Leave City
Federal agents deployed tear gas against protesters, including families with young children, outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Portland, Oregon, prompting the city’s mayor to demand that ICE leave the city.
The confrontation occurred Saturday when thousands of demonstrators approached the ICE facility in Portland’s South Waterfront district. Witnesses reported that federal agents used tear gas, pepper balls, and rubber bullets against the crowd, which included parents with children in strollers and people using motorized carts.
Erin Hoover Barnett, a former OregonLive reporter who participated in the protest, described the chaotic scene. “What looked like two guys with rocket launchers” began dousing the crowd with gas when she was approximately 100 yards from the building. “To be among parents frantically trying to tend to little children in strollers, people using motorized carts trying to navigate as the rest of us staggered in retreat, unsure of how to get to safety, was terrifying,” Barnett wrote.
Portland Mayor Keith Wilson condemned the federal response, describing the demonstration as peaceful where “the vast majority of those present violated no laws, made no threat and posed no danger” to federal agents. In a strongly worded statement, Wilson addressed ICE employees directly: “To those who continue to work for ICE: Resign. To those who control this facility: Leave.”
The mayor further criticized federal agents for what he characterized as constitutional violations, saying they had “lost all legitimacy and replaced it with shame.” Wilson announced that Portland would impose fees on detention facilities that use chemical agents, insisting the federal government “must, and will, be held accountable.”
The Portland Fire Bureau dispatched paramedics to treat affected individuals at the scene. Local police monitored the protest but made no arrests Saturday, maintaining a hands-off approach to the federal confrontation.
The ICE facility at the center of the controversy serves as a field office that includes a processing center where federal officers detain and interview individuals to determine their legal status as U.S. residents, according to city information.
Portland’s protest was part of nationwide demonstrations against the Trump administration’s immigration policies. Similar protests have occurred in cities like Minneapolis, where federal agents recently killed two residents, Alex Pretti and Renee Good, further inflaming tensions around federal law enforcement actions.
In nearby Eugene, Oregon, federal agents also deployed tear gas the previous day when protesters broke windows and attempted to enter the Federal Building. Local police declared a riot and ordered the crowd to disperse.
President Donald Trump addressed the protests on social media Saturday, stating that while local law enforcement agencies are responsible for policing demonstrations, he had instructed Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to ensure federal agents vigorously protect government facilities.
“Please be aware that I have instructed ICE and/or Border Patrol to be very forceful in this protection of Federal Government Property,” Trump wrote. “There will be no spitting in the faces of our Officers, there will be no punching or kicking the headlights of our cars, and there will be no rock or brick throwing at our vehicles, or at our Patriot Warriors. If there is, those people will suffer an equal, or more, consequence.”
Mayor Wilson’s most pointed criticism came regarding the use of tear gas against children. “To those who continue to make these sickening decisions, go home, look in a mirror, and ask yourselves why you have gassed children,” he said.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, has not yet responded to requests to confirm details of the incident, including the reported use of tear gas against demonstrators.
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6 Comments
This seems like a very concerning situation. The use of tear gas against peaceful protesters, including families with children, is extremely troubling. The mayor is right to demand that federal agents leave the city – their escalation of force is unacceptable.
I agree, the mayor is taking the appropriate step in demanding the federal agents withdraw. The safety and rights of protesters must be respected, not met with excessive force.
While the protesters may have been peaceful, the use of tear gas could indicate the situation became more volatile. Federal agents have a difficult job maintaining order, but the mayor is right to question whether their tactics went too far in this case.
That’s a fair point. There are often complexities to these situations that aren’t fully clear from the initial reports. The mayor and federal authorities should work together to find a resolution that respects both public safety and civil liberties.
I’m curious to learn more about the specifics of what led to the federal agents using tear gas. Was there credible threat of violence from the protesters? Or was the response disproportionate? The mayor is right to demand accountability, but we need a fuller picture of the events.
Agreed, more information is needed to assess whether the federal response was justified. Peaceful protest is a fundamental right, but authorities also have a duty to maintain public order. Hopefully an investigation can shed light on what exactly transpired.