News and Views from the People's Struggle
Portland, OR – On September 28, hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the Portland ICE facility to stand against Trump’s deployment of federal troops to Portland. The protest was called by Portland Contra Las Deportaciones (PDXCD) in collaboration with other groups such as Portland for Palestine, the Freedom Road Socialist Organization and PDX ICE Watch.
Portland, OR – On Wednesday, September 17, the city of Portland issued notices of land use violations to the building owner of the ICE facility in the South Waterfront neighborhood of Portland.
This comes after months of protests and action by community groups like Portland Contra Las Deportaciones (PDXCD), which founded a coalition called Revoke the ICE Permit PDX, and others to demand the permit for the facility be revoked and that it is shut down. The facility has been at the center of protests for months, with a near constant presence of protesters standing against ICE. A petition to shut down the facility now has over 17,000 signatures.
Portland OR – On August 28, protesters rallied outside the Portland Permitting and Development Department to demand the city revoke the conditional use permit for the Portland Macadam ICE Sub Field Office.
The protest was held by Revoke the ICE Permit PDX, a coalition formed by Portland Contra las Deportaciones. After weeks of meeting with city council members and putting pressure on elected officials at city hall, organizers decided to go to the department directly responsible for managing permits in the city.
According to the conditional use permit granted to the facility in 2011, the facility is required to hold detainees no longer than 12 hours, and no detainees can be held overnight. A recent Fox 12 Oregon News Segment found ICE has violated this clause at least 28 times. In 20 of these cases, the individuals were held for over 24 hours, violating the rule that no detainee can be held overnight. According to this data, 24 of the 28 violations occurred after President Donald Trump returned to office.
This is in line with a pattern around the country, where ICE Field Offices that previously served as a location for mainly administrative work and check ins have increasingly detained immigrants for days on end, with no bedding, showers, sinks, limited food and access to medical care.
Shawnee Miller, a resident of Grays landing, a low-income housing complex directly across from ICE facility, gave personal testimony outside of the permitting office, “Let me be clear, we are not collateral damage. We are actual Portland citizens who are all being affected by these terroristic acts. When you deploy chemical weapons against a peaceful community you are creating a state of terror. When you ignore our calls for help, you are telling us that we are alone and that our safety doesn’t matter.”
This comes the week after residents of Grays landing held a press conference outside of their homes demanding that the city take action against the ICE Facility. Teargas and other chemicals weapons have been used on a regular basis outside of the Macadam Facility. At times ICE agents have even gone as far as shooting at residents trying to record these violations from their balcony.
Revoke the ICE Permit organizer Holly Brown weighed in on the inaction on the part of city officials, “Our elected officials continue to drag their feet and hide behind bureaucratic procedures to justify their inaction, while ICE terrorizes our city. But we will continue to put pressure on the city to do the right thing and shut down the Macadam ICE facility, no excuses.”
Protesters expressed concern about the inaction of city officials given the continual violation of the permit and resolved to continue to put pressure on the government. The next action scheduled for the Revoke the ICE Permit coalition will be at city hall on September 17.
Tacoma, WA – On September 1, the International Migrant’s Alliance – USA (IMA USA) and La Resistencia hosted a rally for solidarity with immigrants and to shut down the Northwest Detention Center. The All Out for Migrant Defense rally was attended by over 850 people.
Many of the attendees traveled from Portland, Oregon as part of the closing event of the 2025 IMA USA and Tanggol Migrante Political Conference. This included a large caravan of over 50 cars and two school buses.
The Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma has become the place for many organizations to unite to fight the United States’ immigration policy. Other organizations like International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) Seattle, Bayan Washington, and the Oregon Rising Coalition also attended.
Angela Bonilla, president of the Portland Association of Teachers and member of the Oregon Rising Coalition spoke on behalf of the importance of building unity between labor unions and community-based organizations, stating, “This alliance has come together to improve the lives of the working class by taking back power and wealth that has been extracted by our communities.”
This call for unity has followed an interstate effort to end the inhumane conditions at the Northwest Detention Center (NWDC). The NWDC is managed by a publicly traded company called the GEO Group that receives money from the U.S. government to imprison people during the immigration process.
La Resistencia has been documenting the conditions at the NWDC for over 11 years and has received reports from detainees that conditions are getting even worse. One of the leaders of La Resistencia reported that detainees were being kept in the detention center long after they should have been released or deported. They also said that one detainee had to survive a seven-day hunger strike to finally get deported.
The rally included further testimony of families of those detained in the NWDC. Three different families were able to speak about the horrible conditions inside of the facility. Each speech had a common theme: end the contract with the detention center and to treat all working people with dignity.
#PortlandOR #OR #ImmigrantRights #IMA #LaResistencia #PAT #ORC #TanggolMigrante
Portland, OR – On Wednesday, August 20, 40 Portlanders came together at the intersection of 37th Avenue and Hawthorne Boulevard to denounce Israel’s renewed offensive in Gaza. The invasion plan, which began with indiscriminate aerial bombardment on August 13, is set to displace 1 million Palestinians southwards, and is another step in Israel’s plan to ethnically cleanse all of Gaza.
Portland, OR – On July 16, around 50 protesters gathered at the Portland city council meeting space for a press conference and rally to demand Portland city council revoke the permit for the ICE Field Office at 4310 S Macadam Avenue in Portland. The press conference was organized by Revoke the ICE Permit, a coalition of groups organizing to get ICE out of Portland.
In 2011, the Portland city council approved a conditional use permit for the field office, allowing it to operate. One of the conditions for the conditional use permit was a 12-hour limit on the holding of detainees. A recent Fox 12 Oregon investigation found the office has violated this condition many times.
Portland, OR – On Thursday, June 12, over 400 people mobilized to the ICE facility in Portland for an emergency rally in solidarity with those protesting ICE raids in Los Angeles, and to demand an end to all deportations. Portland Contra Las Deportaciones organized Portland’s protest.
Portland, OR – On Thursday, June 5, organizations Portland Contra las Deportaciones (PDXCD) and Portland for Palestine (P4P) held a joint press conference to announce the success of their campaign against politically-motivated fines levied against two vehicular support activists who helped escort an anti-deportation march back in February.
Portland, OR – On June 4, activists rallied outside of the ICE facility in Portland at 4310 SW Macadam Avenue, demanding an end to Trump’s racist attacks on immigrants. They arrived in the morning encountering a long line of immigrants waiting to enter the building. Sometime later, a van pulled out of the facility, full of people who had been detained.
Portland, OR – On Memorial Day Monday, May 26, Portland anti-war activists gathered to rally against U.S. imperialism and the glorification of war. The event was organized by Portland for Palestine, in collaboration with Veterans for Peace Chapter 72.
Portland, OR – May Day was a busy one in Portland, as four events were held throughout the day and into the evening. These collectively mobilized thousands of people to resist the Trump agenda and to fight for workers and immigrants’ rights.
Portland, OR – On April 24, community organizations Portland Contra Las Deportaciones and Portland for Palestine held a noise demonstration in front of the Immigrations and Customs Facility in Southwest Portland to protest the ongoing attacks on immigrants by the Trump administration, and the use of ICE as a tool to silence pro-Palestine protesters.
Portland, OR – On Monday, March 3, organizations involved in the February 23 anti-deportation protest held a press conference outside the Portland Police Bureau’s (PPB) central precinct headquarters to speak out against police harassment of protest organizers, harassment that endangered people participating in the march.
Portland, OR – On Sunday, February 23, Portlanders gathered at Terry Schrunk Plaza early afternoon to stand against Donald Trump, his most recent attacks on immigrants, and the escalated ICE repression happening throughout the country.
Despite the heavy rain, a couple hundred protesters came out to stand with immigrants and march through downtown Portland, demanding legalization for all, and an end to deportations.
Portland, OR – On Sunday afternoon, February 16, pro-Palestine group Portland for Palestine held a rally outside the Pioneer Courthouse in downtown Portland. The rally’s goal was to “Tell Trump that Gaza is not for sale,” referencing his threats since February 4 to have the United States buy Gaza, occupy it, then ethnically cleanse it of all Palestinians.
Portland, OR – On Sunday evening, February 2, pro-Palestine protesters gathered at the Newmark Theatre in downtown Portland to oppose Oregon Senator and apologist for Israel, Ron Wyden, who was speaking at an event promoting his new book.
Despite the cold weather, around 40 people showed up to stand against Wyden. The protest was organized by Portland for Palestine.
Portland, OR – On Saturday November 9, nearly a hundred people gathered at Sunnyside Park in southeast Portland for a rally and march organized by Portland for Palestine (P4P). Protesters took to the streets to showing solidarity with Palestine and refusing to allow the election outcome to undercut the struggle for Palestinian liberation.
Portland, OR – On September 21, the Anti-War Action Network presented a webinar on divestment campaigns for Palestine and the anti-war movement. The event featured speakers from New Orleans Stop Helping Israel’s Ports, Minneapolis Anti-War Committee, San Jose Against War, and UW Milwaukee SDS.
Wilsonville, OR – On Monday, June 24, 20 pro-Palestinian protesters rallied at the office of Collins Aerospace in Wilsonville, Oregon. The rally was called by PDX for Palestine to protest the company’s involvement in the genocide in Gaza. Collins Aerospace is a subsidiary of Raytheon, and the Wilsonville facility produces weapons components that go to the Israeli military.
Portland, OR – On April 13, Oregon Democrats arrived in Portland for the annual Wayne Morse Gala, Oregon’s largest democratic fundraising event of the year. When representatives arrived at the Hilton Hotel, they were met with a group of 50 protesters demanding Oregon Democrats stop funding the genocide of Palestinians.