PORTLAND, Ore. — Oregon’s Democratic congressional delegation sharply criticized federal tactics during ongoing protests outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in South Portland, citing reports of excessive force used against demonstrators.
Lawmakers Visit ICE Facility
On Thursday, U.S. Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, along with U.S. Reps. Suzanne Bonamici, Maxine Dexter, and Andrea Salinas, visited the ICE field office to press officials on detention practices and enforcement strategies. Portland had recently cited the facility for detaining individuals longer than the 12-hour limit allowed under city regulations, jeopardizing the building’s land-use approval.
On Friday, the lawmakers gathered with immigrant rights advocates, including the ACLU of Oregon, the Portland Immigrant Rights Coalition, and the Clear Clinic, to share their concerns.
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Reports of Force Against Nonviolent Protesters
Merkley referenced reporting from The Oregonian/OregonLive that described Department of Homeland Security officers shoving, hitting, and pepper-spraying demonstrators outside the facility. One account detailed a federal officer striking a protester in the upper body and face with a shield.
Mayor Keith Wilson called the actions “deeply troubling” and requested an investigation the day the article was published.
Merkley said ICE officials told him the officers involved were part of the Federal Protective Service, not ICE itself. “So, we said, ‘Well, you have the building. Shouldn’t you be weighing in and saying that there is a red line in which you never attack peaceful protesters?’” Merkley explained. “We have a Constitution. It envisions freedom of assembly and freedom of speech.”
Bonamici: “This Is Unacceptable”
Rep. Bonamici echoed Merkley’s concerns, citing another Oregonian article where a Portland Police Bureau official testified in court that federal officers were “instigating and causing some of the ruckus” fueling the protests.
“Even Portland Police is raising concerns about what is happening here in Portland with the excessive use of force,” Bonamici said. “This is unacceptable.”
Wider Concerns About ICE Practices
The lawmakers also criticized President Donald Trump’s threats to quash protests in Portland, and raised concerns that ICE detainees are being denied access to attorneys.
They promoted pending legislation in Congress that would require law enforcement officers to display visible identification and restrict the use of unmarked vehicles, except in legitimate undercover operations.
Calls for Accountability
The delegation said their meeting with ICE left many questions unanswered.
“We asked about enforcement tactics, access to counsel, access to health care, and how they decide who they target,” Bonamici said. “I am not at all satisfied with the answers and the evasion we got.”
For now, Oregon’s lawmakers and advocacy groups are calling for greater accountability, insisting that constitutional rights must be upheld even in the midst of contentious protests.
