PORTLAND, Ore. — Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has issued a fiery ultimatum to Portland Mayor Keith Wilson, warning that she will quadruple the number of federal officers in the city if he fails to comply with her demands for tighter security around federal properties — particularly the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in South Portland.
Noem, 53, made the threat during an appearance on Jesse Watters Live Tuesday night, following a high-profile visit to Portland earlier in the day that included a rooftop tour of the ICE building and meetings with local officials.
Noem’s Ultimatum to Portland Leaders
During her interview, Noem expressed frustration over what she described as Mayor Wilson’s lack of cooperation, accusing him of stalling on commitments to increase local protection for federal agents.
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“He did not commit to any of those promises and said he would give me an answer by tomorrow, and I’m hopeful that he will,” Noem said. “What I told him is that if he did not follow through on these security measures for our officers, we were going to cover him up with more federal resources — four times the number of officers currently deployed.”
Visibly angered, Noem accused Wilson of prioritizing politics over safety. “He’s continuing to play politics,” she said. “This mayor is going to wait until somebody gets violently hurt or killed. He’s going to have blood on his hands.”
Noem went on to claim that “Antifa-affiliated individuals” were outside the ICE facility “shouting death to my law enforcement officers” while Wilson “drives home and probably has a fancy dinner tonight.”
“It’s just not acceptable,” she concluded.
Wilson Pushes Back Against Federal Tactics
Mayor Wilson responded hours later with a measured statement, stopping short of addressing Noem’s ultimatum directly but condemning the tactics and rhetoric being used by federal officials.
“The tactics we’ve seen employed by federal agents are troubling and likely unconstitutional,” Wilson said. “In terms of recent rhetoric, we still do not know what ‘Full Force’ against Portland means, or how the administration plans to use our city as a military ‘training ground.’”
He added that he would continue to “explore all options” to protect Portlanders’ right to free expression and ensure federal law enforcement operating in the city adhere to the same professional standards as the Portland Police Bureau.
Police Chief Calls for Cooperation, Not Confrontation
Portland Police Chief Bob Day, who also met with Noem on Tuesday, struck a more diplomatic tone. Speaking at a press conference after the meeting, he called for a “holistic approach” to managing protests and public safety concerns outside the ICE facility.
“There are clearly differences of opinion,” Day said. “I wouldn’t say that we’re in alignment on every point, but we continue to be professionals and strive for a shared value of safety.”
Federal-State Tensions Continue to Escalate
Noem’s visit and combative remarks come amid growing friction between federal and state officials following a federal judge’s decision to block President Donald Trump’s attempt to federalize Oregon’s National Guard.
Judge Karin Immergut, a Trump appointee, ruled last week that the president’s justification — claiming Portland was “burning to the ground” — was “untethered to the facts.”
The ruling marked another blow to the administration’s push for expanded federal intervention in Oregon.
Governor Tina Kotek condemned Noem’s rhetoric and the recent use of force by federal agents, accusing ICE officers of using excessive tear gas against protesters.
“Portland is not a war zone,” Kotek said Monday. “We will not tolerate threats of militarization against our communities.”
Political Theater or Policy Battle?
Noem’s aggressive posture — amplified by her media appearances and photo ops with conservative influencers like Benny Johnson and Nick Sortor — has sparked both outrage and praise online. Critics dubbed her “ICE Barbie”, accusing her of staging a political stunt for national attention, while supporters hailed her as a strong leader standing up to Portland’s progressive establishment.
Whether Noem follows through on her threat to flood Portland with additional federal agents remains to be seen. But her ultimatum underscores the deepening divide between the Biden administration’s state-level critics and local leaders determined to keep federal influence in check.
For now, the showdown between Washington, D.C., and Portland appears far from over — and the city once again finds itself at the center of a national battle over law enforcement, federal power, and local control.
