Portland Mayor Calls For ICE To Leave City After Tear Gas Deployed
5 weeks ago
The mayor of Portland, Oregon, has demanded that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) pull its agents out of the city after federal officers used tear gas and other crowd‑control munitions against demonstrators at a protest outside an ICE facility.
Mayor Keith Wilson characterized Saturday’s protest as largely peaceful and said the majority of those present posed no threat to federal agents. He criticized the use of chemical agents, calling it a “trampling of the Constitution” and urging ICE employees to resign and federal officials to leave Portland.
Witnesses reported that tear gas, pepper balls and rubber bullets were deployed as thousands of marchers gathered on the South Waterfront. Local police monitored the demonstration but did not make arrests, and paramedics treated protesters on scene.
The protest was part of nationwide demonstrations against the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement actions. President Donald Trump has instructed federal agents to be vigilant in protecting government property during protests, even as local leaders push back against their presence.
Mayor Keith Wilson characterized Saturday’s protest as largely peaceful and said the majority of those present posed no threat to federal agents. He criticized the use of chemical agents, calling it a “trampling of the Constitution” and urging ICE employees to resign and federal officials to leave Portland.
Witnesses reported that tear gas, pepper balls and rubber bullets were deployed as thousands of marchers gathered on the South Waterfront. Local police monitored the demonstration but did not make arrests, and paramedics treated protesters on scene.
The protest was part of nationwide demonstrations against the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement actions. President Donald Trump has instructed federal agents to be vigilant in protecting government property during protests, even as local leaders push back against their presence.
