PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — As 200 National Guard troops prepare to deploy in Portland this week, residents across the city are grappling with fear and uncertainty. On Sunday, the pews of Augustana Lutheran Church in Northeast Portland were filled with worshippers — some regulars, many first-time visitors — seeking solace in community and reassurance that they are not alone.
A Church Filled With Concern and Compassion
The Rev. Dr. Mark Knutson, pastor at Augustana Lutheran, described the service as a moment of unity and defiance.
“We have a lot of people in church yesterday, and people who have never been before,” Knutson said. “They’re looking for a place to hear words of compassion and love and also action. It’s about saying to this administration: Portland is not in any war zone. It’s a beautiful city.”
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The service drew faith leaders, community organizers, and city officials. Many hoped to send a message of support to Portland’s large migrant population, which has expressed heightened fear about the coming troop presence.
One speaker encouraged attendees to carry that message forward: “Remember that when you go back home, back to your neighbors, about the love of migrants. The migrants don’t hate anyone.”
Military Presence in the Skies
While churchgoers gathered in prayer, the reality of military operations was visible across town. Large helicopters hovered above the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in South Portland on Sunday night.
The Port of Portland confirmed to KOIN 6 News that the aircraft were connected to federal law enforcement or military activity, though it clarified the Port has no authority over such operations.
Federal officials later confirmed a separate incident that underscored tensions in the city. The FBI reported that four people had been taken into custody after one allegedly aimed a laser at a Customs and Border Protection helicopter flying overhead. Agents searched the suspect’s home, though details of the broader law enforcement response were not disclosed.
Fear at the ICE Facility
Protesters who continue to gather near the ICE facility described an atmosphere of unease. Sammy, one demonstrator present on Sunday evening, said the community remains focused on peaceful resistance.
“We have a federal building that is surrounded by communities who are protesting peacefully and nonviolently and having a watchful eye here,” Sammy said. “We’re bearing witness that we can practice our First Amendment, civilly, peacefully, with nonviolence.”
A small group of protesters stood outside the facility around 9 p.m., maintaining their vigil even as helicopters circled overhead and federal authorities remained present in the area.
Portland Caught Between Faith and Fear
The dual images of the day — worshippers filling a church to seek comfort, and military aircraft circling over a city known for its activism — underscored the tension Portlanders feel as the National Guard prepares to arrive.
Faith leaders urged residents to lean into compassion and solidarity rather than fear. At the same time, community members expressed concern that the deployment would escalate tensions rather than ease them.
For many in the pews of Augustana Lutheran, the service was both a refuge and a rallying point, reinforcing a collective belief that Portland is not a “war zone” but a city striving to protect its residents and values.
