PORTLAND, Ore. — Federal immigration officials say the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building in South Portland has endured more than 100 consecutive nights of violence, with limited support from local police due to political directives from city leaders.
Escalating Nightly Violence
In an exclusive interview with Fox News, Cammila Wamsley, director of Portland’s ICE office, described how protests that began as demonstrations against immigration policy have grown increasingly aggressive.
“Bottle rockets have struck the ICE building, rocks have shattered windows, lasers have targeted officers’ eyes, and barricades have been used to block vehicles,” Wamsley said. “Later, towards the evening, people come dressed in all black. They’re here to wreak havoc.”
Also Read
She also noted that protesters have followed ICE employees home and doxxed at least six staff members.
Staff Under Pressure
Wamsley said staffers face ongoing threats even when leaving work. “They’ll block our cars, throw paint, damage property and even try to follow our folks home,” she explained.
Crowds, she added, can swell suddenly, transforming a relatively small gathering into a dangerous flashpoint. “We’ve seen a crowd of 50 turn into 1,000 within 30 minutes. Sometimes we only have 20 officers on site. We couldn’t defend the building against that.”
Frustration With Local Police
According to Wamsley, Portland police have been slow to respond to incidents — or have not responded at all — because of city policy.
“That is not the stance they would take six blocks from here,” she said. “But it is the stance they take with us because of guidance from the mayor and city council.”
She described her frustration at watching federal staff attacked outside the facility, while officers inside are limited by jurisdiction. “It’s frustrating for us to watch people be attacked on the street and know that we don’t have the authority to step in unless there’s a nexus to federal law,” Wamsley said.
Federal Response
The violence in Portland has prompted a coordinated federal crackdown. Todd Rignel, assistant special agent for Homeland Security Investigations in Oregon, said Antifa-linked groups are being targeted by multiple federal agencies.
“They’re not just facing HSI,” Rignel explained. “They’re facing the FBI, ATF, DEA, IRS — all of these agencies. That’s a force to be reckoned with.”
President Donald Trump also announced plans to send 200 National Guard troops to Portland to support immigration authorities. Officials said the troops will be stationed near the protest areas.
Political Tensions
City leaders, including Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and the city council, have resisted federal intervention, doubling down on Portland’s sanctuary status even as the ICE facility remains a focal point for unrest.
Wamsley suggested that political directives from local leadership have left federal employees exposed. “The guidance has tied the hands of local police, and we are left vulnerable,” she said.
Commitment Despite Risks
Despite the nightly turmoil, Wamsley emphasized that ICE staff remain committed to their work. “The people that work here are here to serve the American public,” she said. “They are here to enforce the same immigration laws we’ve had in place since the 1950s. Nothing has changed in that regard. We come to work every day, do our job, and we’ll continue to do that.”
Broader Context of Violence
The warnings in Portland follow a deadly attack on an ICE facility in Dallas on September 24, where a gunman killed two detainees before dying of a self-inflicted gunshot. Shell casings at the scene reportedly bore an “ANTI-ICE” message.
With unrest persisting in Portland, federal officials say the ICE building has become both a symbol and a battleground in the broader conflict over immigration enforcement and political polarization.
