PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) — An online call urging people to aim lasers at federal helicopters that have been circling above Portland’s ICE facility has drawn sharp condemnation from federal and local officials, aviation experts, and protesters alike — who warn the scheme is dangerous, illegal, and could put pilots and people on the ground at serious risk.
The invitation, posted on social media by organizers tied to the protest movement, asked residents to point laser beams skyward at a specified date and time in an effort to “ground” helicopters used for federal surveillance. Aviation and safety specialists say that is both reckless and potentially criminal: shining a laser at a piloted aircraft can temporarily blind or distract crew members, raising the risk of a midair collision or other catastrophic mishap.
“The dangers primarily are blindness on the part of the people flying the airplanes — the pilots and crew members,” said Ron Magnus, a flight instructor in Washington County. He warned that even a brief flash into a cockpit at night can disorient pilots during critical phases of flight.
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Federal agencies have been explicit about the legal consequences: the FBI and the Justice Department both note that aiming lasers at aircraft is a federal offense, and penalties can include fines and prison time. In recent weeks, federal authorities in Portland have arrested and charged individuals for allegedly pointing lasers at law enforcement aircraft, and agents recovered a powerful laser device during a related raid.
The Department of Homeland Security also weighed in, calling the proposed action “incredibly dangerous for the aircraft personnel and for the public’s safety” and warning that targeting federal aircraft would be treated as a serious crime. DHS officials framed the online callout as an escalation that could jeopardize public safety rather than an effective form of protest.
At the same time, some local protesters condemned the idea on tactical and moral grounds. “In terms of shining lights at them, that’s not something I’d participate in,” one longtime protester said, arguing there are more constructive and less risky ways to voice dissent. Others fear that such tactics could invite heavier enforcement and more arrests at an already tense protest site.
Portland police officials say they routinely prosecute cases involving lasers aimed at aircraft and that officers recently arrested a person suspected of shining a laser at a police airplane near the ICE facility. Federal prosecutors have also filed charges in at least one recent case alleging that a person targeted a Customs and Border Protection helicopter.
Aviation safety organizations and the FAA urge anyone who sees a laser pointed at aircraft to report it immediately to local law enforcement. Aside from criminal liability, safety experts stress lasers — especially high-powered green or blue devices — can cause long-term eye damage.
Organizers of the planned event had not publicly backed down as of the latest reports. Federal and local authorities say they will continue monitoring social media and patrols near the ICE facility and will prosecute anyone who deliberately targets aircraft. Officials warn that what might look like a small light on the ground can have life-threatening consequences when aimed at aircraft in flight.
