On September 27, 2025, President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to announce his decision to deploy military troops to Portland, Oregon, framing the city as ‘war ravaged’ and asserting that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities were ‘under siege’ by ‘Antifa, and other domestic terrorists.’
This announcement follows multiple demonstrations held by protesters outside an ICE facility in Portland throughout the summer. Despite the heightened tensions, city officials reported that the protests remained largely peaceful, with authorities only resorting to measures such as tear gas and temporary shutdowns of the facility during specific instances of unrest.
Contrary to President Trump’s claims, recent data from the Portland Police Bureau’s Strategic Services Division has shown a notable decline in several violent crimes. Homicides have decreased by a staggering 39%, human trafficking offenses lowered by 26%, and vehicular manslaughters dropped by 75% in comparison to the previous year. Overall crime rates in Portland have declined slightly, by about 1%, while motor vehicle thefts decreased by 30%, vandalisms dropped by 7%, and burglaries fell by 5%.
While some offenses, such as kidnappings and abductions, have seen a rise of approximately 50%, arsons increased by 25%, and drug offenses surged dramatically by 226%, these issues do not reflect the overall trend of a safer community as reported by local law enforcement.
In response to President Trump’s characterization of the situation, Portland Mayor Keith Wilson criticized the federal government’s approach, asserting that his perception of a tumultuous Portland does not align with reality. ‘If President Trump came to Portland today, what he would find is people riding their bikes, playing sports, and enjoying the sunshine,’ Wilson stated.
The mayor emphasized Portland’s legacy of peaceful protests, highlighting the city’s commitment to positive social change. Similarly, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek refuted the notion of a crisis in Portland, sharing images of herself participating in a local march that underscored community unity and peaceful expression. ‘Today, I was in downtown Portland walking peacefully with Oregonians to say that we don’t need military intervention here,’ she stated in a recent social media post.
Amidst the escalating rhetoric, the state of Oregon alongside the city of Portland filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration on Monday, contesting the deployment of 200 members of the Oregon National Guard to the city for up to 60 days. In conjunction with this legal action, Mayor Wilson, along with more than a dozen other Oregon mayors, issued a joint letter condemning the decision to militarize the area.
The letter articulated a strong stance against the use of federal forces in the enforcement of civil immigration laws, declaring that such militarization has no place in the community and lacks support from local elected leaders. ‘Enforcement of civil immigration laws by militarized forces has no legitimate role in our community, no support from local elected leaders, and little public support,’ the mayors stated.
President Trump’s comments regarding Portland echo similar statements made about other cities, including Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Chicago, New Orleans, and Memphis, where he claimed existing crime problems warranted federal intervention. However, contrary to his assertions, data indicates a decline in violent crime across many of these urban areas, reinforcing the argument against the necessity of his proposed actions.
In a related incident this past week, a tragic shooting occurred at an ICE facility in Dallas, resulting in the deaths of two immigration detainees. Trump wasted no time in attributing blame to ‘Radical Left Democrats’ following this event. Nevertheless, local authorities reported that the shooter likely acted alone and found no connections to any specific group or organization.
As tensions persist between the federal government and local leaders, the unfolding situation in Portland stands as a clear testament to the disagreements over the characterization of violence and the appropriateness of military intervention in civil matters.
image source from：aol
