PORTLAND, Ore. — Conservative journalist Nick Sortor, 27, was arrested Thursday night during a confrontation outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in South Portland. Authorities said he was taken into custody on suspicion of second-degree disorderly conduct following what police described as a fight.
Arrest During Escalating Tensions
The incident unfolded after federal law enforcement detained two individuals during a separate public altercation earlier in the evening. Portland police said they continued monitoring the situation and intervened after witnessing additional clashes break out near the ICE facility.
Sortor, who is based in Washington, D.C., was arrested by the bureau’s Rapid Response Team along with two Oregon residents, Mimi Yi of Portland and Angela Davis of Vernonia. While Sortor and Yi were released without bond within hours, Davis remained in custody Friday morning, according to jail records.
Also Read
Timing Ahead of National Guard Hearing
The arrest came just hours before a scheduled federal court hearing on whether the Trump administration could move forward with deploying 200 National Guard members to Portland. The city has seen weeks of protests and unrest tied to President Donald Trump’s crackdown on crime and immigration enforcement in so-called “blue cities.”
AG Orders Investigation
The incident has already sparked political fallout. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced a full investigation into the Portland Police Bureau, citing allegations that officers may have unfairly targeted Sortor.
Videos circulating online show the conservative commentator in a heated scuffle with protesters. In one clip, he appears to shove a man and swing a punch before being surrounded by officers. Bystanders can be heard mocking him as he is taken into custody.
Sortor Responds Online
On social media, Sortor suggested earlier in the week that he anticipated being arrested if he defended himself.
“If I defend myself, I will be the one who gets arrested. Not the assailant,” he posted on X late Wednesday, calling Portland a “third world hellhole.”
Following his release, he celebrated Bondi’s announcement of an investigation, writing: “The Trump DOJ WILL NOT allow Portland Police to continue to do the bidding of Antifa.”
Political Fallout and Speculation
Supporters online have argued that Sortor’s arrest was politically motivated, framing it as part of a broader bias against conservatives in Portland. Critics, however, point to video evidence showing him attempting to strike another man before being detained.
The clash adds another layer of tension as the city braces for further demonstrations and awaits the outcome of the court decision on federal troop deployment.
