PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland officials are accusing federal law enforcement of using excessive force against peaceful protesters while showing preferential treatment toward supporters of the Trump administration.
In a sharply worded letter to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), City Attorney Robert Taylor alleged that federal officers have repeatedly violated constitutional protections by targeting demonstrators based on their political views — a practice known as “viewpoint discrimination.”
City Pushes Back Against Federal Investigation
The letter was sent Monday in response to a federal Civil Rights Division investigation launched after Portland police arrested right-wing media personality Nick Sortor near the ICE facility in South Portland last week. Sortor had been charged with disorderly conduct during a confrontation at a protest, but Multnomah County prosecutors later dropped the charges, determining he was acting in self-defense.
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Before the dismissal, senior Trump administration officials condemned the arrest. Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon wrote on X (formerly Twitter):
“We will not leave the people of Portland at the whims of criminals and woke cops. Govern yourselves accordingly!”
In a follow-up letter, federal officials suggested Portland police may have discriminated against conservative protesters, demanding records from the city.
Taylor, however, countered that it is the federal government — not Portland — that is acting unlawfully.
Claims of Unequal Treatment and Excessive Force
Taylor’s letter outlines several instances of alleged misconduct by federal officers, including:
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Shoving peaceful veterans and elderly demonstrators to the ground.
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Firing impact munitions into crowds that were otherwise calm.
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Spraying pepper spray directly into the faces of nonviolent protesters.
He also accused federal agents of giving preferential treatment to individuals who publicly support the Trump administration.
“It appears the federal government is providing special access to the ICE facility for social media ‘influencers’ who favor the administration,” Taylor wrote, “while targeting with force those who use social media to document federal conduct.”
City Says Feds Are Violating Constitutional Protections
Portland’s response emphasized that the First and Fourth Amendments — which protect free speech and guard against unreasonable force — apply equally to all Americans, regardless of political affiliation.
“If the Civil Rights Division is concerned about the Constitution,” Taylor wrote, “it should ensure that all people — even those with whom the administration disagrees — receive equal protection.”
He concluded by stating that the Trump administration’s current approach “appears to be failing that solemn duty in Portland and elsewhere in America.”
A Growing Divide
The exchange marks the latest escalation in tensions between Portland and the federal government over protests outside the city’s ICE facility, which have continued for months.
While the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division is investigating whether local police unfairly targeted conservatives, Portland officials insist the real issue is the federal government’s selective enforcement of the law and use of excessive force against its critics.
The Justice Department has not yet issued a public response to the city’s allegations.
