Protests erupted at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building in South Portland on Saturday, showcasing heightened tensions between federal officers and protesters.
In a response to these developments, Portland Mayor Keith Wilson issued a statement on Sunday addressing the Trump administration’s potential military involvement in the protests.
“Portland has not requested and does not require the intervention of the National Guard,” Wilson emphasized, making it clear that the presence of military personnel is unwarranted in the situation.
The mayor’s comments came in light of recent events in Los Angeles, where the deployment of National Guard members and U.S. Marines to assist ICE and manage protests only exacerbated tensions.
Wilson labeled any decision to send military forces to Portland as “unwarranted, unprecedented, and unconstitutional.”
He further noted, “If we witness federal abuse following this incident or any other pretext, we will bring it to light, take legal action, and take the fight to federal courts, where we will prevail.”
The situation escalated following a tense protest, during which law enforcement declared a riot at the Portland ICE facility, resulting in multiple arrests.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reported that four officers sustained injuries during the protest, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem warned of potential prosecutions for anyone who dared to “lay a hand” on federal law enforcement.
DHS condemned what it described as the “violent targeting of law enforcement” by rioters in Portland, calling for protest leaders to denounce the actions of those involved.
The protests at the ICE facility were part of a nationwide response against the Trump administration, with around 50,000 people participating according to the mayor’s office.
Organized by the 50501 Movement, Indivisible, and other progressive groups, the demonstrations were aimed at exhibiting opposition to what they view as authoritarian policies under the current administration.
This particular protest also served as a counter to a military parade scheduled in Washington, D.C., to commemorate President Donald Trump’s 79th birthday and celebrate the founding of the U.S. Army.
In Los Angeles, which also witnessed significant protests on the same day, chaos emerged as law enforcement deployed crowd control weapons against demonstrators gathered outside a federal facility.
The Los Angeles Times noted that immigration raids and protests continued into Sunday, further highlighting ongoing tensions in urban areas.
Portlanders are all too familiar with the federal officers utilizing “less lethal” weapons against crowds, having experienced similar encounters during racial justice protests in 2020 outside the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse.
While Saturday’s demonstration at the ICE facility resulted in several arrests, the scale of unrest was notably lower compared to what Portland experienced during the protests of 2020.
Mayor Wilson expressed a firm stance against excessive force in response to protests, asserting, “Our officers will not be used as agents of ICE but will intervene when criminal acts occur.” This message echoed the daily communication from the Portland Police Bureau amidst the ongoing demonstrations at the ICE building.
Protests in Portland did not cease after the initial demonstrations, as police made four additional arrests late Saturday night.
In a related development, shortly before these events, President Donald Trump took to social media to advocate for increased deportations by ICE in cities governed by Democrats, such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, although he did not mention Portland specifically.
image source from：https://www.opb.org/article/2025/06/16/portland-mayor-waves-off-federal-help-ice/
