Federal agents deployed non-lethal munitions Wednesday night as protesters attempted to block vehicles from entering and exiting an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Portland. The confrontation marked the latest escalation in nearly two weeks of protests over ICE operations in the city.
Law enforcement officials used rubber bullets, flash bangs, and tear gas to disperse the crowd after repeated warnings to clear the area. Protesters, many of them masked and waving Antifa flags, were participating in a demonstration dubbed “Chinga La Migra,” which was organized in response to recent deportation operations by ICE. Demonstrators were seen holding signs such as “Nobody is illegal on stolen land” and chanting “Abolish ICE.”
Protesters reportedly tried to prevent a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) convoy from entering the facility, prompting a response from dozens of federal agents. As night fell, the situation intensified. After multiple dispersal orders were ignored, officers in riot gear moved in. Protesters were seen launching explosive fireworks at officers, while federal agents pushed back and made several arrests. Law enforcement also removed a dumpster that protesters had rolled in front of the facility’s entrance.
On Thursday, DHS issued a statement condemning the violence, saying, “Last night, Portland rioters violently targeted federal law enforcement— 250 rioters launched fireworks, shined lasers in officers’ eyes to temporarily blind them, and stormed an ICE field office. Ultimately, five individuals were arrested on various charges, including assault on federal law enforcement.”
“We won’t sit idly by and watch these cowards,” DHS continued. “Our officers are facing a 413% increase in assaults against them as they put their lives on the line to arrest murderers, rapists, and gang members. Secretary Noem’s message to the rioters is clear: you will not stop us or slow us down. ICE and our federal law enforcement partners will continue to enforce the law. And if you lay a hand on a law enforcement officer, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
