Portland Mayor Calls for ICE Withdrawal Following Use of Tear Gas on Peaceful Protesters

In Portland, Oregon, a significant protest took place outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office on a recent Saturday, during which federal agents released tear gas at a crowd that included young children, sparking urgent calls from local leadership for ICE to exit the city. Witness accounts describe the agents' use of tear gas, pepper balls, and rubber bullets as thousands gathered at the South Waterfront facility, which they characterized as a peaceful demonstration. Erin Hoover Barnett, a former reporter, recounted her experience roughly 100 yards from the site, noting what appeared to be two individuals using devices resembling rocket launchers to disperse gas toward the assembly. She described the scene as frightening, highlighting the distress of parents caring for children in strollers and individuals navigating mobility aids amid the chaos and confusion caused by the retreat from the gas. Portland's Mayor Keith Wilson reinforced the peaceful nature of the daytime protest, stating that most attendees did not break any laws or threaten the safety of federal law enforcement personnel. In a strongly worded statement issued that evening, Wilson called for employees of ICE to resign and urged the facility's leadership to vacate. He condemned the use of violence and challenged the legitimacy of those actions, framing them as a betrayal of constitutional principles. Emergency response teams from the Portland Fire Bureau attended to individuals injured or affected by the situation, while local police maintained a presence but did not carry out any arrests during the event. This protest is one instance among numerous similar demonstrations nationwide opposing the Trump administration's intensified immigration enforcement efforts. Notably, in Minneapolis, federal agents have been involved in incidents that resulted in the deaths of two residents, Alex Pretti and Renee Good. In neighboring Eugene, Oregon, federal agents also resorted to tear gas during protests when demonstrators attempted to enter the Federal Building downtown, leading city authorities to declare a riot and order dispersal. President Donald Trump addressed the subject on social media on the same day, emphasizing that local police forces bear responsibility for maintaining order during protests in their jurisdictions. Nonetheless, he noted his directive to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, instructing federal agents, including ICE and Border Patrol, to act decisively in safeguarding federal properties. The president warned of severe consequences for actions against federal officers or property, including assaults or attacks on vehicles. Responding to the incident in Portland, Mayor Wilson announced that the city would impose a fee on detention centers that deploy chemical irritants and urged accountability from the federal government. He appealed directly to decision-makers involved in authorizing the use of tear gas, challenging them morally by questioning their rationale for deploying such measures against children during peaceful protests.