Portland, OR – Multnomah County issued an arrest warrant on September 22 for right-wing extremist Thomas Allen for the assault of immigrant rights protester Holly Brown.

The warrant came after a campaign demanding Multnomah County District Attorney Nathan Vasquez press charges.

Allen is a right-wing influencer known for showing up at anti-Trump and anti-ICE protests in Portland to harass and assault progressive activists. Despite many instances of assault and using chemical weapons on protesters in front of police, he was only arrested once, in October 2025, for punching an anti-ICE protester at the Portland ICE facility. He pled guilty then to a charge of disorderly conduct.

On September 1, during a press conference at Multnomah County Courthouse to demand the closure of the Portland ICE facility, Allen violently shoved Brown into a concrete pillar, causing a head injury and whiplash. Police were on site, witnessed the assault, and did not arrest Allen. They formed a line to protect Allen from the immigrant rights protestors who had just been assaulted.

Brown filed a police report for the assault stating, “The police allow Allen to do their dirty work of silencing and repressing immigrant rights protests. We must put pressure on the police and district attorney to arrest and charge these violent MAGA extremists so we can continue our important work of fighting ICE terror.”

A video by PDXCD describing the assault and asking viewers to call and email the DA amassed almost 1 million views on different social media platforms, with thousands of comments stating they contacted the DA.

Allen then held hate rallies two weeks in a row at a local queer-friendly bar, the Sports Bra, for its support of trans rights. The Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) held counter-protests and ran Allen and his transphobic group away from the bar. This garnered a large amount of media attention and trans rights activists pointed out the lack of police action when Allen and his group assaulted more protesters and used large amounts of chemical weapons in a residential neighborhood.

After the second hate rally, PDXCD called a press conference at Multnomah County Courthouse for September 21 to highlight the lack of action by the police and DA on September 1 and how it allowed Allen to continue to enact more violence in the following weeks.

The morning before the press conference, the district attorney notified the media they were moving forward with charges on Allen for his assault of Brown and that a warrant for his arrest was in process.

PDXCD continued with the press conference. Allen showed up to the event and harassed attendees as they spoke with three news stations. The immigrant rights protesters then marched to the police station with the media to demand answers as to why the police are allowing right-wing extremists to attack progressive activists with no consequences. Allen followed the group into the police station, yelling insults regarding people’s identities.

While inside the police station, KOIN news reporter Ariel Salk approached Allen on camera and told him there was a warrant for his arrest. Allen, shocked and confused, stated he was unaware and that it was “bullshit.” He immediately left the police station rather than risk arrest, ended his livestream and rode away on a Lime scooter.

There is now an active warrant for Allen’s arrest. PDXCD is urging anyone who sees him to contact the non-emergency hotline at 503-823-3333 to report his location and demand police arrest him.

Allen is facing four misdemeanor charges: class four assault, two counts of harassment and one count of disorderly conduct. As a condition of his charges, Allen is not allowed within a two-block radius of Brown. He is also barred from the Multnomah County Courthouse, outside of his court appearances. He was on probation for his arrest last October and will potentially face consequences for probation violation.

“It is about time Allen faced consequences for his attempts to stifle anti-ICE and anti-Trump protests,” said immigrant rights activist Omar Gill. “The issue remains that it took thousands of phone calls and media attention to get the police and district attorney to do the right thing. Many others who’ve been assaulted by Allen are still without justice. It is clear we must continue to place demands on the city and county to take action against these MAGA extremists.”

#PortlandOR #OR #ImmigrantRights #PeoplesStruggles #MAGA #ThomasAllen #PDXCD #Featured

Portland, OR – On September 21, transphobic right-wing extremists led by Thomas Allen returned to a queer-friendly establishment, the Sports Bra, to harass patrons. This was their second protest there in two weeks. Trans rights activists also returned to counter-protest and pushed the anti-trans agitators out of the area for the second week in a row.

The Sports Bra has been the target of attacks by the right after a video went viral of their employees’ asking patrons with transphobic t-shirts to cover up their shirts or leave the bar. The people wearing the t-shirts are anti-trans activists with large followings on social media. They purposely went to the bar to get a reaction to post online.

Allen planned his first protest of the bar on September 11, calling for a rally to “protect women and girls.” He and around five other anti-trans agitators brought signs demeaning trans people and tried to start fights with passersby. Over 30 people showed up to counter the hate rally. Allen and his group were chased away from the Sports Bra. They went to a nearby Fred Meyer grocery store and called the police, who witnessed one of the right-wingers use bear mace on someone. The police did not arrest the person who used bear mace, despite its use being illegal. They provided Allen with an escort away from the store.

For his second protest, Allen brought out around ten right-wing extremists, carrying American flags, wearing face coverings with skulls, and transphobic t-shirts. Over 100 pro-trans activists came out to counter-protest the transphobes after a call was put out by the Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

Seeing how greatly outnumbered they were, Allen’s group quickly left the area. As they left, one right-wing extremist unleashed bear spray indiscriminately into a large crowd of people.

Trans rights activists continued to follow the agitators, pushing them further and further away from the bar. They yelled chants such as “Hey hey, ho ho, transphobia has got to go.”

Allen’s group went into residential streets and threw tear gas canisters at the trans-rights activists, a crime in Portland. Portland police drove by and made no arrests.

Once Allen’s group was far away from the bar, many of the pro-trans activists made their way back to the bar to continue the protest with more chants and messages of resistance. Unprecedented, a local brass band that appears at anti-Trump protests, played music for the trans rights activists.

At the bar, many reported feeling empowered by the community defense action.

“Allen and his goons have been attacking anti-Trump and pro-immigrant protests for over a year now, with police doing nothing to stop it,” said activist Evelyn Thomson with the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, “today we showed that if the police won’t do anything we will protect ourselves.”

One person was arrested during the protest; rather than arrest the MAGA protesters for their illegal use of chemical weapons, Portland Police arrested a trans rights activist. Police told media the arrest was for a separate incident and there was a warrant on the arrestee. What they left out was the warrant was from when the same right-wing extremists protested outside a Hasan Piker show on August 23. The person arrested defended the community from multiple assaults the right-wingers carried out on those in attendance and was charged with crimes as a result.

Allen and his group have counter-protested many of the anti-Trump protests over the last year. They are known for using physical violence and chemical weapons to attack those they disagree with. Emboldened by the Trump presidency, they typically wear MAGA attire and focus their attacks on immigrants.

Immigrant rights organization Portland Contra Las Deportaciones is calling for Allen’s arrest, following his assault of immigrant rights activist Holly Brown on September 1. At a press conference calling for the closure of the Portland ICE facility, Allen shoved Brown into a concrete pillar in front of Multnomah County Courthouse. Police witnessed the attacks and made no arrests. PDXCD is holding a press conference to demand District Attorney Nathan Vasquez press charges.

#PortlandOR #OR #LGBTQ #PeoplesStruggles #MAGA #PDXCD #ThomasAllen

“The successive attacks on Salvadorans and Haitians under TPS shows a systematic targeting of legal immigrants by nationality one by one,” said PDXCD member Cami Saunders.

Members of PDXCD held signs that read “ICE out” and “Defend TPS,” in addition to chanting “TPS! Lo merecen” and “Salvadorans are welcome here.” Despite a single hostile reaction, they were met with overwhelming honks and shouts of support. Curious pedestrians walked by and were educated on what TPS was.

“We have to stand up against these cruel terminations by the Trump administration.

Salvadorans are welcome here in Portland and everywhere!” stated a PDXCD member.

#PortlandOR #OR #ImmigrantRights #TPS #ElSalvador #PDXCD #Legalization4All

Portland, OR – On September 1, activists demanding the closure of the Portland ICE facility were attacked by right-wing reactionaries.

Protesters held a press conference before a hearing at Multnomah County Court. The landlord of the ICE facility is demanding Multnomah County overturn a land use violation issued against the facility last year. He argues the city is biased against ICE. The violation was for detaining immigrants past a 12-hour limit.

Violent right-wing extremist Thomas Allen showed up with a group to harass the protest. He is known for physically assaulting activists, particularly women. He attempted to push his way into the protest. Activist Holly Brown stepped in front of him, using a plastic lid of a storage bin as a shield.

Allen responded by calling Brown a slur and violently shoving her to the ground. He pushed her so hard she hit her head against a concrete pillar behind her.

Multnomah County Sheriffs came out of the court and formed a line protecting Allen. He was not arrested.

Portland Contra Las Deportaciones (PDXCD) held the press conference. Last May, Allen came to another protest put on by the PDXCD and was physical with protesters. Immigrant rights activist Samantha Ibarra used pepper spray to defend herself. She was immediately arrested.

“There is a difference in how immigrant rights protesters and right-wing agitators are treated in Portland,” stated Brown, “The police and district attorney must take action against Allen.”

Brown filed a police report. This is the second police report she filed against Allen in the last year. In March 2026 she filed another report after Allen pepper sprayed her at another protest. As of this article, Allen faces no charges.

Despite the attacks, the press conference continued. Two news stations showed up. Activists chanted, “Revoke the permit,” referring to the permit that allows the ICE detention facility to operate.

At 1 p.m. PDXCD members packed the court, filling the room. The proceedings lasted ten minutes. No decision was made, and another hearing was scheduled for November 20.

“The courts are being used to stall enforcement of the law against ICE,” said Beatriz Ibarra, an organizer with PDXCD. “This process is needlessly complicated. It shouldn’t be this hard to shut down a concentration camp.”

Protesters caught the judge overseeing the case as he left the courthouse. They followed Judge Steffan Alexander, demanding answers as to why he is not ruling against the ICE facility.

Judge Alexander refused to answer questions and police escorted him into another courthouse.

Portland Contra Las Deportaciones plans to continue to demand that the ICE facility be shut down and that Thomas Allen is arrested.

#PortlandOR #OR #ImmigrantRights #PDXCD #ICE

Portland, OR – On August 21, immigrant rights organization Portland Contra las Deportaciones (PDXCD) held a fundraiser at Pepe’s Karaoke Bar. Pepe’s is an immigrant-owned, family-run restaurant serving Mexican food, where nearly 100 people celebrated the movement.

The organization successfully raised over $1000, with funds going towards their political and defense campaigns, as well as their community outreach projects. 

Local drag performer Quesa D’Mondays emceed the event. They kept the energy high, with the crowd chanting, “Fuck ICE!” and “Revoke the permit!” They also highlighted PDXCD’s current campaign to shut down an ICE field office in Portland.

The evening was filled with vibrant performances of both English and Spanish songs. Cruz Rivera, a partygoer, said, “I saw an Instagram post about the fundraiser and thought that it would be both a wonderful time singing and supporting a cause that I believe in.” 

Near the stage, activists set up a table full of information about PDXCD. It described their general meetings, barrio walks, and the campaigns that they are currently waging. They also sold stickers and t-shirts with their logo and another with a design that read “Legalization for all.” QR codes were laid out on all dining tables for electronic donations.

PDXCD member Sage Saunders stated, “The success of this fundraiser clearly shows that the people believe in the work that we are carrying out, and that the people are willing to financially support an organization that is ready to fight! Many of our members were here as well, making sure to form connections with others that are not yet a part of our organization.”

PDXCD continues to wage a struggle against ICE and its facility on the South Waterfront. They have had great successes, but are faced with an impasse as the landlord Stuart Lindquist uses the legal system to further delay the revocation proceedings. They are currently meeting the enemy where they are at, vigilantly watching and attending the legal proceedings.

#PortlandOR #OR #ImmigrantRights #PDXCD

Portland, OR – On August 11, the immigrant rights organization Portland Contra Las Deportaciones held a rally to demand an end to attacks on Haitian immigrants as a part of a week of action called by national network Legalization for All. The rally was just a few blocks away from a Haitian church.

The rally came two weeks after the Trump administration terminated Temporary Protected Status for the roughly 350,000 Haitians covered by the temporary immigration benefit.

“This cruel decision reflects the racist and dehumanizing agenda of the Trump administration. We firmly stand in solidarity with the Haitians in Ohio facing mass deportation,” stated Cami Saunders of PDXCD. Organizers emphasized their campaign demanding Portland revoke the permit for the local ICE facility and the need for city government to take action to protect local Haitians.

“If the ICE facility remains with a permit, there will be no way to ensure safety for our local Haitian community affected by this ruling,” said Cruz Rivera, another member of PDXCD.

During the event, counter-protesters showed up to disrupt and spread hate. PDXCD organizers quickly responded by shifting to a visibility rally, which drowned out the uninvited. Cars honking in sympathy with the rally helped spread the message of “Legalization not deportation!” Haitian community members were seen waving from their cars.

Beatriz Ibarra, an organizer with PDXCD, summarized the event, “Even though agitators popped up, it was a successful event. We had members from the Haitian community drive by, and a few who were in the neighborhood joined our rally.”

#PortlandOR #OR #ImmigrantRights #PDXCD #Haitians #TPS

Portland, OR – On August 2, smoke filled the air in downtown Portland. The historic Centennial Mills Warehouse was on fire. As firefighters poured water onto the building, all eight floors collapsed, sending debris into the air and onto the surrounding residential buildings, which would later test positive for asbestos.

The toxic air was reminiscent of similar scenes in the South Waterfront neighborhood over the past year at the Portland ICE facility, where ICE and DHS deployed large amounts of chemical weapons at immigrant rights protesters over a period of several months. The effects of those weapons were felt miles away.

The bad air quality is not the only similarity between the two environmental catastrophes. Both buildings are owned by real estate developer Stuart Lindquist.

Activists with Portland Contra Las Deportaciones (PDXCD), an immigrant rights organization leading a campaign to shut down the Portland ICE facility, were quick to make the connection.

“It’s not surprising to me that a man who makes $2.4 million annually off renting out a concentration camp to ICE is also the owner of a derelict building that burnt down and poisoned the neighborhood as a result of his negligence,” said Beatriz Ibarra. “The question I have is, when will the city finally step in and put an end to his dangerous investments?”

Lindquist was issued a land use violation by the city of Portland in September 2025 for violating the terms of the permit for the ICE facility, by holding detainees past a 12-hour limit numerous times. This came after months of public pressure and a petition of over 19,000 signatures.

Almost a year later, the city has yet to collect any fines for this violation. In fact, during the last year, Lindquist was granted more opportunities for real estate projects by the city.

In August 2025, when a school next to the ICE facility was forced to relocate due to all the chemical weapons nearby, City Councilmember Mitch Green stepped in fast track permit approval for the school to move into another building owned by Lindquist.

In October 2025, while Donald Trump was deploying the National Guard to “protect” the Portland ICE facility from protesters, the Portland Design Commission approved Lindquist’s plans to develop the Centennial Mills Warehouse into residential housing, despite public outcry, given Lindquist's track history.

“Again and again Lindquist is given the green light by the city to make money off Portlanders, but when we ask for the city to hold him accountable, we’re told this is impossible,” said Blaire Glennon, another member of PDXCD.

In response to calls for the city to shut down the Portland ICE facility, officials made it clear they are not interested in acting. Councilors Mitch Green, Tiffany Koyama Lane, Angelita Morillo, Jamie Dunphy and Sameer Kanal put out a statement saying they will not revoke the permit for the Portland ICE facility. A video was leaked where City Administrator Raymond Lee let city employees know the city is “committed to keeping the facility open.”

Demolition orders were served to Lindquist for the Centennial Mills property, and the city states an investigation is ongoing into the cause of the fire. So far, the city has not pursued any repercussions for the release of asbestos into the air, or the fire-related shutdown of critical public transportation surrounding the property.

This clear pattern of allowing Lindquist to move forward with real estate projects despite evidence his investments cause harm to the city, and the refusal of the city to step in once this harm does occur, raises questions as to whether city officials are working for regular Portlanders, or wealthy and influential individuals.

“We remain committed in demanding the ICE facility is shut down,” said Glennon. “The Centennial Mills fire just makes it clearer that this is an emergency.”

On August 14, Lindquist will be back in court regarding the land use violation of the Portland ICE facility. Lindquist continues to challenge the ruling, and appealed to Multnomah County Court, claiming the city is biased against ICE. Given the city's explicit commitment to keeping the facility open, PDXCD maintains this is simply an attempt to continue to stall. They will be mobilizing for the hearing to put pressure on the judge to strike down the case.

#PortlandOR #OR #ImmigrantRights #PDXCD

Portland, OR – On Wednesday, July 15, 230-plus community members gathered together at Discovery Gateway Park to honor the three lives stolen by ICE killers. The event, organized by Portland Contra Las Deportaciones demanded ICE off our streets and justice for Lorenzo Salgado, Joan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, and the third victim from Florida.

The event had a large ofrenda where attendees left items for the victims. The table was filled with candles, colorful flowers that included the traditional cempasúchil, beer, lottery cards, sweet cookies and more.

As people entered the park, they were able to leave their offerings at the altar and pick up a small candle. After speeches, people lit their candles and listened to songs by activist group Singing Resistance. Afterwards, the community blew out their candles to honor the three victims.

Gabriel Ollinsix a leading member of Portland Contra las Deportaciones was the first speaker and set the tone for the night, “We know that if our families are ever going to have true safety, if we are ever going to know that our fathers, our tíos, and our loved ones will come home at the end of the day, we must drive ICE out of our communities.”

This was the sentiment that was felt throughout the attendees. While there were a few tears at different times and there were a few chants repeated with anger demanding justice, the overall feeling was the understanding that no one is safe as long as ICE is out in the streets.

While the event was first announced on Sunday, July 12, by the time the event happened on Wednesday, July 15, two more victims had been included: Joan Sebastián Durán Guerrero and a third victim, Juan Coronilla. The victims were from Latin America, which brought Spanish speakers to the event. The speakers all gave their speeches in Spanish and English.

Speakers also addressed the repression faced by activist Nadia Topete in Southern California. Topete was called before a grand jury twice over the last year in response to her immigrant rights activism. Attendees honored her resistance and committed to continuing to help her fight this repression.

The event ended with a call to action from Cami Saunders: “Thank you for being here with us today, and I hope to see all of you again! The fight continues, and there is so much to do here in Portland. The murders did not happen in our city, but we are fighting to close the facility, to prevent it from happening here.”

Volunteers went around the park as people were leaving with tablets to send emails to the Portland Permitting and Development to demand the Portland ICE facility be shut down.

#PortlandOR #OR #ImmigrantRights #KillerICE #ICE #PDXCD #Feature

Portland, OR – On Friday, June 17, the immigrant rights organization Portland Contra las Deportaciones (PDXCD) held a rally outside of city hall and attended the city council meeting to demand the council and the mayor revoke the permit for the ICE facility. Over 30 community members were forcibly removed from the meeting while exercising their First Amendment rights.

The city has allowed landowner Stuart Lindquist many delays and extensions to appeal the land use violation issued to the Macadam Facility in September of 2025. Most recently, he appealed to a Multnomah County Circuit Court to claim the hearings officer in the case is biased. The appeal hearing was granted to Lindquist willingly by this hearings officer after the city failed to begin the revocation process or enforce the fine for the land use violation.

While preparing for the protest, activists encountered Mayor Keith Wilson walking towards city hall. Several tried to speak with him, asking what the city is doing to push forward the currently stalled land use violation hearings. Some chanted “Keith Wilson, do your job!” as he walked by ignoring their questions. Wilson rarely attends Portland City Council meetings, but was present to discuss the upcoming budget renewal.

The rally outside city hall was met with violent right-wing agitators who have historically assaulted and pepper-sprayed protesters unprovoked. The crowd chanted and maintained their energy over the sounds of the right wingers’ megaphones. Protesters then packed the first floor of the chambers, holding signs in the front row that read “Revoke the permit!” and “Shut down the Macadam facility!”

Protester Holly Brown also encountered Eric Kutch, director of Portland Permitting and Development. This is the department authorized to officially begin the revocation process. When questioned about the extremely slow movement of the administrative review that spanned from September to February, he claimed that was due to “following the legal process,” despite ICE’s terror on Portland and the surrounding neighborhood.

Kutch then stood up and walked out of the chambers. When Brown attempted to follow him, they were physically blocked from moving through a public building by a plainclothes private security officer.

Because Portland City Council meetings don’t allow opportunity for public comment, community members stood up and spoke out to condemn the council’s inaction and call for emergency legislation to be put forth. Activists repeatedly stood up one by one to disrupt the council proceedings and were swiftly removed. When speaking, Ivan Vargas said, “The clock has been ticking for over a year now regarding the revocation of the permit, while immigrants have been wrongfully and violently put in jail cells in this so-called ‘sanctuary city.’”

City Council President Jamie Dunphy ordered Vargas’ removal and the other activists who dared to speak out. Private security officers paid by the mayor’s office and a cop attending the meeting forcefully ejected more than 30 speakers.

The majority of Portland City Council are self-proclaimed progressives who routinely use the mayor’s private security and the Portland Police Bureau to repress immigrant rights activists.

As to why the city claims they are powerless over the ICE Facility, Democratic Socialist and reactionary councilor Angelita Morillo said, “Laws are enforced through force or through the legal court system and if the legal court system does not support our findings, then we don’t have any standing.” The legal system would have supported permit reconsideration if the city started it when they had the chance, and legal enforcement of city code would also be supported legally at this time.

Violent right-wing streamers cheered on this statement, with one shouting gratitude to the councilors for allowing the permit to keep the facility open.

Later, PDXCD member Taylor Goss countered the council’s hypocrisy in public comment when he said, “Councilor Morillo, you mentioned earlier this evening that Portland doesn’t have an armed force to enforce laws, but in May on May Day, the PPB was sent to defend the ICE facility and officers brutalized and arrested activists. In February, they were sent here, to city hall, to silence protesters who were exercising their First Amendment rights.”

Private security and PPB had also forcefully removed protesters earlier that evening, showing the city government does have power to use violence and force. However, they refuse to enforce city laws over private land leased to the federal government.

This was the first time PDXCD returned to a council meeting after their protest during a meeting in February after the deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good led to the city sending every available officer to the chambers to violently remove and arrest protesters.

PDXCD will mobilize to the next hearings in the land use violation appeals process to keep up public pressure on the city to move forward and fight back.

#PortlandOR #OR #ICE #ImmigrantRights #PDXCD

Portland, OR – On May 5, the immigrant rights organization Portland Contra Las Deportaciones (PDXCD) held a protest in front of the Portland Hearings Office to demand the city reject an appeal of a land use violation filed against the Portland ICE facility in September 2025.

The land use violation was issued to the building for holding detainees past a 12-hour limit and boarding up the windows. Despite almost a year passing since the violation was issued, the city has yet to penalize the landlord of the facility, Stuart Lindquist. The city allowed a five-month administrative review of the decision, and then when Lindquist filed an appeal of the violation in March 2026, allowed for the hearing to be pushed back and rescheduled multiple times to May 5.

Protesters met outside the office to speak with the media and hold a rally. Almost immediately, they were disrupted by right-wing agitator Thomas Allen, known for harassing and assaulting immigrant rights protesters. He began circling the protesters and yelling “God bless ICE” over them so they were unable to do interviews.

Protesters formed a barrier and kept Allen away from the rest of the group. But he began to assault activists, hitting and destroying their signs they were holding between themselves and Allen.

Allen then assaulted one of the protesters, Samatha Ibarra. In self-defense, she used pepper spray.

Allen swiftly called Portland Police and claimed he was attacked and being “swarmed” by protesters, a complete fabrication. The police showed up and proceeded to wait until the media left, and then arrested Ibarra, charging her with multiple misdemeanors.

Immigrant rights protesters filed numerous police reports against Allen for attacking people with pepper spray over the last year. At some protests he has sprayed over ten people, including elderly protesters, completely unprovoked. Activists either never hear back, or are told the case would likely not work out in their favor.

After Ibarra’s arrest, PDXCD immediately went to Multnomah County Corrections, where Ibarra was being held, to hold a protest outside demanding her release. She was released a few hours later and participated in a press conference the same day to demand the charges are dropped.

As all of this was occurring, the hearing for the appeal of the land use violation began. Thomas Rask, attorney for ICE landlord Stuart Lindquist, called one witness to testify in support of the ICE facility. The witness was Katie Daviscourt, another known right-wing agitator who has attended round tables with Donald Trump to spread lies about “Antifa” and who regularly goes to the Portland ICE facility to provoke protesters.

Daviscourt testified it was necessary for ICE to board up their windows due to the “violent” protests at the ICE Facility, painting a picture of ICE agents under siege.

In reality, federal agents regularly attack protesters at the facility, going so far as to break the bones of multiple unarmed protesters simply holding signs.

The hearing was supposed to end that same day, but due to delays on behalf of Lindquist’s lawyer the hearing did not conclude until May 7.

On May 10, the hearings office put out a notice that the final decision on the case would be made on June 5. At this point it has been several months since the violation was issued. Despite claims of impartiality, City Administrator Raymond Lee was caught in a leaked video stating the city was “committed to keeping the facility open as it provides “essential services.”

Activists are angry at the willingness of the city to act quickly to repress the voices of immigrant rights activists, while stalling on action on ICE.

“Again and again, we see the city say it stands on the side of immigrants, and yet it only ever uses its powers to silence protesters,” said activist Cami Saunders. “Not only are they misleading the public, but they are trying to suppress the voices of those who call on them to do more.”

In another example of this pattern, Multnomah County District Attorney Nathan Vasquez added three more charges to Ibarra’s case after her arrest, and Allen posted on X stating the DA personally called him to let him know about the extra charges.

PDXCD remains committed to fighting for the charges to be dropped and also to ensure that the Portland ICE facility is shut down entirely.

Samantha Ibarra also stated she will fight the charges and plans to take the fight to court if needed.

“I’m not planning on taking any plea deals because I defended myself from a local terrorist. If and when it goes to trial it will expose the agitators for who they are,” said Ibarra.

#PortlandOR #OR #ImmigrantRights #PDXCD

Portland, OR – On May 1, protesters gathered downtown for a midday May Day rally held by a coalition of 80-plus unions and non-profit type organizations. This included a march downtown with stops at the Mexican Consulate and an office building that houses the offices of a U.S. senator.

Portland Contra de las Deportaciones (PDXCD) and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) attended this rally, although they were not permitted to endorse due to their demand that the city of Portland “Revoke the Permit” for the Portland ICE facility. PDXCD has been vocal in criticizing the city council and mayor for their lack of action on ICE and thus faced pushback in the movement by organizations aligned with the politicians.

Later, on the evening of May 1, there was a second protest organized by FRSO and PDXCD starting at Elizabeth Caruthers Park near the ICE facility in Portland. The protest was to honor the May Day martyrs who died for workers’ rights and demand an end to the deportations. The protest was attended by approximately 300 people at the park with others joining later at the facility. There were speeches by union members and activists alike. An organizer with PDXCD and ILWU Local 5 member stated, “For as long as our country has existed, the working people have fought back, immigrants have fought back!”

The protest marched to ICE and protesters went into the driveway of the ICE facility. This driveway has frequently become a flashpoint in the past year at Portland ICE protests, with federal agents often setting off teargas and other less than lethal munitions when protesters enter the driveway, which is ungated and next to a frequently used sidewalk in a residential neighborhood.

After legal action and the shootings of U.S. citizens by federal agents in January, there has been much less chemical agent used at the facility. The last reported teargas use appears to be at a PDXCD protest in early February.

Later that night, at approximately 8:30 p.m., state police and Portland police stormed the driveway of the ICE facility occupied by chanting protesters. Three targeted arrests happened at that time. Oregon State Police and Portland police pushed protesters out of the driveway with batons and pepper spray. Arrests included Cole Dunahugh and Dr. Catherine Esperanza, who were then transported to Multnomah County jail.

After a call-in campaign and a picketing at the jail, Cole was released very early Saturday morning, May 2. A press conference was held on Saturday afternoon to continue to demand the release of Dr. Catherine Esperanza. The call-in campaign and picketing at the jail continued. After this pressure, Dr. Esperanza was released Saturday night even though callers had repeatedly been told she would not be let out till Monday morning.

The Oregon State Patrol and Portland Police Bureau’s aggressive action to guard the driveway raises questions about adherence to sanctuary laws. Oregon has labeled itself a sanctuary state and Portland is labeled a sanctuary city. The spirit of the sanctuary law is broken when state and city police actively participate in guarding the driveway of the immigration facility with detention cells used to hold immigrants and some U.S. citizens. Many of these detainments have included unnecessary violence, including violence with firearms.

Oregon has been a sanctuary state since 1987. The city of Portland codified their sanctuary status in October of 2025. In its May 2 press release, the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) stated “PPB does not engage in immigration enforcement as outlined in PPB Directive 810.10, but is still responsible for maintaining public safety and enforcing state laws.”

If Oregon residents want to report that sanctuary law is being broken, they can call the Sanctuary Promise Hotline at 1-844-924-7829.

#PortlandOR #OR #ImmigrantRights #Labor #MayDay #PDXCD

Portland, OR – The Portland immigrant rights organization, Portland Contra las Deportaciones (PDXCD), celebrated its first year as an organization in February. To commemorate, a fundraiser was organized. Community members gathered at Portland's oldest food cart pod, Midtown Beer Garden, on Saturday, April 11.

“The business that we engaged had ties to immigrant communities, and the host who emceed for us was a Latina drag queen who was excited to use her platform to support her community. Even the people who attended were there because they support what we’re doing. Events like this are how we meet people where they are. They’re how we call folks to action without making it seem like work. It’s how we fight back without making people feel afraid that they have to fight,” said lead organizer Taylor Gross.

In the middle of the food carts, there were lines of tables, with a stage at the front where the emcee Quesa de Mondays and DJs performed, and a presentation with pictures and information about the organization played in a loop.

The fundraiser was a silent auction event where objects such as a handwoven blanket donated by El Ranchero Supply Co. were featured, as were experiences such as tickets for two to a show at Milagro Theater, a Latino arts and culture center of the Pacific Northwest since 1985.

“The fundraiser was a great success. We can continue our work in PDXCD, including our barrio walks and our 'Revoke the ICE Permit' campaign,” stated Blaire Gleenwood

During the event, there was an information table where attendees were able to learn more about the organization, as well as the opportunity to sign the petition and learn more about the current campaign to shut down the Portland ICE facility on Macadam Avenue. On the side there was a merch table where people bought t-shirts and stickers.

The event was unusual compared to the other events the organization organizes, such as marches, rallies and city council meeting disruptions; however, the message and demand from the organization stayed the same: Fighting for the Portland City Council and Portland Mayor Keith Wilson to revoke the ICE facility permit. The event allowed more people to learn about the organization and take up the demand.

#PortlandOR #OR #ImmigrantRights #PDXCD

Portland, OR – On April 4, angry protesters marched to Portland Mayor Keith Wilson’s house, demanding he revoke the conditional land use permit for the ICE detention facility. The protest, organized by Portland Contra las Deportaciones (PDXCD), began at Wilshire Park and drew a crowd of over 50 in front of the mayor’s home.

The city of Portland issued a land use violation of the permit to the facility on Macadam Avenue in September 2025, after public pressure as the city faced threats of the deployment of the National Guard. Since then, Wilson has allowed landowner Stuart Lindquist to stall the process and appeal the violation to delay any consequences.

In March, the ICE facility landowner, Lindquist, rescinded his appeal to the city’s upholding of the land use violation, meaning Portland officials can begin enforcing the fine at any time. Protesters condemn the lack of enforcement by their city leaders.

During this time, Portland has faced increased immigration enforcement with violent detentions peaking in the fall of 2025. In January 2026, two immigrants were shot by ICE in Portland, and many others faced unlawful and brutal kidnappings.

Andrew Nourie with Freedom Road Socialist Organization told the crowd, “For the last year, Portland has been under attack by the federal government. The people have demanded action from our mayor and the city government, and in response we’ve received silence and a clear commitment to business as usual.”

PDXCD has sent over 1000 emails to the mayor requesting he take action and heard nothing from him for months. After protesters marched to his home in early February, his team reached out to the organization to coordinate a meeting.

Isabella Shepherd, one of the founding members of the campaign to Revoke the ICE Permit, said at the rally: “He insisted on bringing 15 other people [to the meeting] from other groups to argue with the four of us he allowed us to bring, so he wouldn’t have to say any of his own vile opinions out loud himself.”

Members of the campaign say the meeting made it clear the mayor is committed to keeping the ICE facility open, which is why they’ve returned to protest at his house.

The crowd chanted, “Keith Wilson, do your job!” as they occupied the street in front of his home for over an hour. Cars driving by honked their support, and a small crowd of supportive neighbors and passersby formed on a nearby street.

Activists dumped spent munitions ICE used on protesters during this last year on the front porch of the mayor’s house, yelling “No justice, no peace!” saying there will not be peace at home for Wilson while immigrants are terrorized by ICE in their homes.

Sage Joyce with PDXCD said the group brought the canisters because “Keith Wilson should not have freedom from chemical munitions he allows to be used against Portlanders who dare to stand up to ICE!”

Organizers said they are determined to keep up pressure on the city of Portland to move forward in the land use violation process for the ICE facility.

#PortlandOR #OR #ImmigrantRights #ICE #PDXCD #KeithWilson #Feature

Portland, OR – On February 18, immigrant rights organization Portland Contra Las Deportaciones (PDXCD) held a rally at city hall to demand city council take immediate action to revoke the permit for the Portland ICE facility. The event turned into a violent suppression of protest by the Portland Police Bureau, with multiple arrests.

The night began with high tensions as local right-wingers antagonized protesters at the rally by yelling “I love ICE” in megaphones and the unprovoked pepper spraying of five activists. At the same time, city hall security came out and told Cole Dunahugh, a regular protester at city hall, that he was “trespassed” from the building and not allowed to enter. When documentation was requested, it was not provided. The right-wingers who assaulted protesters were allowed to enter city hall.

Activists were not deterred, continued chanting and refused to allow the reactionaries to silence their message.

After the rally, protesters entered the chambers and provided compelling testimony demanding the council take action to shut down the ICE facility and called out the councilors’ hypocrisy.

“The fact that some of you have the audacity to ride the wave of ‘Abolish ICE’ while you unironically have argued and defended keeping the Macadam ICE facility open for the sake of immigrants might be the worst of your offenses,” said Elijah Thahir, referencing many of the councilors’ claims that the facility must be kept open to “serve” immigrants.

The city administrator was asked to give an update on the ICE facility, which has been issued a violation for holding detainees past a 12-hour limit. The enforcement process was stalled for five months while the city granted the landlord multiple extensions on an appeal. Only recently did the city deny the landlord’s appeal, after PDXCD protested at the mayor’s house and at the office of permitting and development.

As the city administrator gave excuses for the inaction of the city, those in the chambers chanted, “Revoke the permit.”

Susan Anglada-Bartley, the original creator of the petition to revoke the permit, walked up to the desks of the councilors with a printout of all 19,000 signatures on a petition to revoke the permit. She was placed in a chokehold by security and physically assaulted.

At this point, City Council President Jamie Dunphy immediately shut down the meeting, ordered security to remove protesters, and all the councilors left the room to reconvene the meeting online.

Protesters continued to stay in the chambers, chanting for around 30 minutes. At this point around 30 police officers entered city hall and arrested Anglada-Bartley. The rest of the protesters linked arms and refused to move, and were violently pushed down a flight of stairs out of city hall by the police. Madison Delsanter and Henry Roloff were arrested for “trespassing,” despite being confined in a space they could not leave by police.

On the other side of the building, Cole Dunahugh was also arrested for “trespassing” despite the fact he was never allowed to enter the building.

Protesters immediately moved the protest from city hall to the nearby jail and held a rally to demand the release of the four detained activists. Three of the activists were released the same night, and one the next day. All face charges.

Rather than apologize for their use of force to suppress the free speech of Portlanders, city council members and the Portland Police Bureau doubled down the next day.

Councilor Loretta Smith posted on her Facebook calling the protest a “mini insurrection” and told press she is drafting legislation to allow councilors to open carry in meetings with the public, implying she would shoot immigrant rights protesters.

The Portland police held a press conference to justify their use of force where Police Chief Bob Day stated he sent “nearly every available officer” working in the city at the time to attack the protesters. He attempted to blame protesters for this egregious attempt to silence First Amendment rights by stating this was a “drain on the city's resources.”

“Why is Bob Day blaming his irresponsible act of over-policing and violence on protesters?” questioned Kacey DeSantis, “It was completely unnecessary for him to send any police officers to prevent the city council from hearing from its constituents. He should be ashamed.”

PDXCD will hold a press conference and protest on February 20, before the arraignments of Dunahugh, Anglada Bartley and Madison Delsanter. They demand that all the charges are dropped, that the city of Portland stop criminalizing free speech, and take action to shut down the ICE facility.

#PortlandOR #OR #ImmigrantRights #PDXCD #PoliceBrutality #Feature

Portland, OR – Over 100 protesters rallied in front of Portland Mayor Keith Wilson’s home on Saturday February 7, to demand he take immediate action to shut down the Portland ICE Facility. The protest was called by the immigrant rights organization, Portland Contra Las Deportaciones (PDXCD).

“Federal agents are terrorizing Portland. Whether it is immigrants living under the threat of deportation by ICE or residents of the South Waterfront neighborhood subject to constant chemical warfare from DHS attacks, there are so many who don’t feel safe in their own homes. That is why we protest at the mayor’s house today, to show him how urgent this situation is,” said protester Cami Saunders.

The action began at a nearby park with speeches calling out Mayor Wilson’s performative statements and lack of action.

The weekend prior, DHS gassed a march of thousands of people organized by labor groups. In response, the mayor put out a statement telling ICE to “leave” and “resign.”

Yet, despite these words, he has put forth no legislation or orders to make this happen. In fact, a few days after this statement, he put out an editorial telling mayors to “stay the course” and stated, “Know that public frustration with the limitations of our offices will continue to invite provocateurs and opportunists. They’ll insist that local police can impede or arrest federal officers at will, or that wielding civil land use laws and implementing fines can effectively remove ICE from our communities.”

The protest marched to the mayor’s house and held the street in front of his home for over an hour with chants of “Keith Wilson shame on you! Immigrants are people too,” “Revoke the permit” and “Do your job!”

A land use violation was issued in September 2025 against the Portland ICE facility for holding detainees past a 12-hour limit, and the city has yet to take any action to enforce this violation, much less revoke the permit, despite it being fully within their power to do so.

On February 5, PDXCD members went to Portland Permitting and Development Offices and interrupted a meeting with department director Eric Kutch to demand to know what he will be doing to shut down the Portland ICE Facility. They were kicked out of the building by police.

This follows a pattern of activists being shut down and refused conversation.

PDXCD has sent over 1000 emails to the mayor requesting action, and prior to this past week heard nothing back. It was only after the protest at his house was announced that his staff reached out to set up a meeting. PDXCD is working on setting up this meeting where they will bring forth their demand to shut down the ICE Facility.

After the protest at the mayor’s house many protesters stated they felt ready to continue to ramp up the pressure on the mayor and city in general to shut down the facility.

#ImmigrantRights #PDXCD #PortlandOR #OR

Portland, OR – On February 1, over 1000 Portlanders protested outside of Portland City Hall to stand against the killing of Alex Pretti, Renee Good and all those murdered by ICE, and to demand city government revoke the permit for the Portland ICE facility. The protest, organized by Portland Contra Las Deportaciones marched two miles from city hall to the Portland ICE facility.

Speaker Holly Brown called out Portland Mayor Keith Wilson and city councilors, saying months of cries to shut down the facility have been met with “not only inaction, but deliberate stalling, condescension, and lies.”

Protesters chanted “Do your jobs!” targeting Wilson and other city officials. Another rally speaker, Beatriz Ibarra, noted Custom Border Patrol agents shot two Portland residents just one day after Renee Good was murdered in Minneapolis. “Our mayor and city council send us nothing more than thoughts and prayers, while ICE agents rampage our streets,” Ibarra said.

Once at the ICE facility, furious protesters stormed the driveway, occupying the street and gated entrance. They began banging on the walls, shaking the gate, yelling “We aren’t scared of you!” as agents began shooting projectiles from the roof into the crowd.

ICE’s initial violent attempts at crowd control did not deter protesters. When federal officers opened the gates, they launched tear gas canisters and flash bangs into the crowd. One protester described the scene, saying “it was like a war zone.”

Just the day before, federal agents gassed a crowd of thousands, including families and union leaders, sparking public outrage. The increasing use of chemical weapons in the heart of Southwest Portland increases the pressure on city officials to take action to shut down the facility.

Tear gas used against protesters on Sunday spread throughout SW Portland, even crossing the Willamette River impacting neighborhoods on the East side. Despite the volume of gas being deployed, a large crowd stood their ground outside the ICE facility until after midnight.

In response to the chemical warfare used against protesters, Mayor Keith Wilson put out a statement telling ICE agents to resign and stating he will begin implementing fees on the facility. Protesters cried out that this is not enough and will not solve the problem. They remain undeterred in their demand to close down the facility.

#PortlandOR #OR #ImmigrantRights #ICE #KillerICE #AlexPretti #PDXCD #Feature

Portland, OR – On January 24, immigrant rights organization Portland Contra Las Deportaciones held an emergency rally to protest the murder of Alex Pretti by ICE agents in Minneapolis.

Despite only a few hours’ notice, over 500 participants joined the rally, beginning at Elizabeth Caruthers Park and marching to the Portland ICE facility.

Speeches demanded justice for Alex Pretti and Renee Good, also murdered by ICE. They also demanded the city of Portland take immediate action to revoke the permit for the Portland ICE facility.

When at the Portland ICE facility, protesters occupied the driveway, banging on the doors and boarded-up windows. An industrial trashcan and other objects were pushed against the gate to the building. Protesters chanted, “You are murderers!” at the agents behind the gate.

In response, federal agents deployed chemical weapons on the protesters, such as HC gas, known for its serious health impacts.

The ICE facility is in a residential neighborhood, with an affordable housing complex directly across the street, that has been subject to chemicals like these for months, another reason why PDXCD demands the ICE facility is shut down.

Despite the chemical attacks, protesters maintained the driveway and did not back down. More and more people continued to show up as the night went on.

#PortlandOR #OR #ImmigrantRights #ICE #KillerICE #AlexPretti #ReneeGood #PDXCD

Portland, OR – A January 21 protest at Portland City Hall to demand the revocation of the permit for the Portland ICE facility erupted as protesters shut down the city council meeting and were violently ejected from the building by Portland police.

Portland Contra Las Deportaciones called for the event after the Minneapolis murder of Renee Good and the Portland shooting by Border Patrol of Nino-Moncada and Yorlenys Betzabeth Zambrano-Contreras. Given the escalation in violence by ICE, the group urged city council and Portland Mayor Keith Wilson to take immediate action to shut down the ICE facility.

After a rally outside city hall with 60 in attendance, the group entered city hall for public comment. Members spoke to the urgency of the moment. A land use violation notice was issued to the Portland ICE facility in September 2025, and the city has yet to collect fines, or begin the revocation process.

“Portland City Council, this legislative body, needs to be treating this like the emergency situation it is.” said organizer Kacey Desantis in a public comment, “We have killer ICE in our streets and members of Portland’s own police force that agree with their actions. This is a public safety emergency.”

Mayor Keith Wilson put out a statement regarding the permit while the protest was underway stating, “Regarding the notice of violation issued to the ICE facility, we must follow the process. We cannot allow hasty action to prevent us from taking meaningful action.”

Given the slow pace at which the city is handling the process, some public commenters wonder if the mayor has his priorities straight.

“Mayor Wilson, it must be really hard to properly respond to this emergency situation when you are also busy being the CEO of a company. Your position aligns more with ICE landlord Stuart Lindquist than working Portlanders affected by your inaction. Mayor, do your job and protect the safety of all Portlanders by revoking the ICE permit now,” stated Desantis.

After public comment, the city council meeting began, and members of the audience began disrupting the meeting, demanding the council take immediate action to shut down the ICE facility, and letting them know there would be no business as usual while ICE terrorizes Portland.

The council left the room for a recess and activists refused to leave the chambers, chanting slogans such as “City council, do your job! Keith Wilson, do your job!”

The council meeting resumed, with all the councilors showing up on a screen, as they left the chambers to join the meeting virtually from their offices, behind locked doors.

The crowd decided to bring the protest to their offices and left the chambers to march to each of the offices in city hall.

Protesters stood outside their offices chanting “Face the people!” and knocking on the doors. Several councilors came out of their offices to take pictures of the protesters from behind glass doors and then rejoined the virtual meeting, refusing to speak with protesters.

After 30 minutes of occupying city hall, a group of Portland police officers approached the protest and informed the group that if they did not leave they would be arrested.

Activists linked arms and refused to move. Officers came behind them and violently pushed the group out of city hall, with activists resisting the entire way. The group was pushed backwards on a flight of stairs by police, and only through holding on to each other avoided serious injury. Protesters still refused to fully leave city hall and police then pepper-sprayed the group.

When outside, the group resolved to not let this stop them and to continue to come back and demand action from Portland officials to revoke the ICE permit.

#PortlandOR #OR #ImmigrantRights #ICE #PDXCD

Portland, OR – Nearly one year since Donald Trump took office as president, hundreds of Portlanders gathered to protest his latest attacks in what has been a brutal year for the American people and people across the world at the hands of U.S. aggression.

On January 17, Portland contra las Deportaciones (PDXCD) led the rally and march alongside Portland for Palestine and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), and the International League of People’s Struggle (ILPS).

Starting with a 10 a.m. art-build, signs reading “ICE out of Portland” and “Revoke the ICE permit” piled up at Terry Schrunk Plaza, waiting to be taken up by incoming attendees of the demonstration. The “Revoke the ICE permit” signs relate to PDXCD’s campaign to shut down Portland’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing center, a building that has served as a central hub for ICE and other federal agencies, including the Oregon and California National Guard last October.

As over 400 people filed into the plaza for the rally, the emcee for the event started with a message about community, encouraging those in attendance to look around at their community members and know who their allies are in the fight against Trump and his attacks. The chant ‘Show me what community looks like!” echoed back with, “This is what community looks like!” filled the plaza and reverberated into nearby streets.

A speaker from Portland for Palestine, Jason Ohman, laid out the reality of what the people of the U.S. have been through in the last year, from the economic hardships and extensive layoffs of federal workers to the terror that ICE has reigned on the streets of the country, recently shooting and murdering Rene Nicole Good in Minneapolis.

Speakers from PDXCD featured a nurse who recently received retaliation from Portland’s Legacy Emanuel Hospital for distributing Know Your Rights information to other staff members. The hospital has recently come under fire for aiding and abetting ICE operations, violating HIPAA and allowing ICE officials to dictate the care of detainees, including early discharge.

Another speaker discussed the most recent abuses from ICE across the country, highlighting the shooting of two Venezuelan immigrants just last week in Portland by border patrol agents; both individuals who were discharged prematurely from Legacy Emanuel Hospital to ICE detention after suffering gunshot wounds.

From the Portland District of the FRSO, Omar Gil spoke on the importance of rising up and fighting back against Trump’s attack on the people. Gil recounts his experience at the Emergency Southwest Summit Against Deportations earlier last year in Los Angeles; “I saw people ready to fight back, ready to organize in defense of our families and neighbors, ready to stand shoulder to shoulder with anyone and everyone that is ready to repel Trump’s attacks!”

Gil notes, “The most important thing we talked about that weekend was about the necessity to engage in struggle, rather than hiding and shrinking away. We need to pour gasoline on the fire that is the Trump presidency so that we can exact our demands!”

Militant struggle is the approach that Portland has taken directly when threatened with the National Guard occupation by Trump last year. While Democrat leaders of Portland and the state of Oregon told citizens to “not take the bait,” people poured into the streets surrounding the ICE facility in southwest Portland; a strategy that won the legal battle that blocked the National Guard from setting foot in Portland at all.

When the rally was wrapped up, a march ensued throughout downtown Portland. On a brisk and sunny winter day, many onlookers lined the streets and in intersections filming on their phones and giving gestures of support; some even joining in the march through the end.

Chants on the march were “Stand up, on your feet! Killer ICE off our streets!” and “Money for homes and education, not for war and occupation!” Police presence was heavy towards the back of the march, with many bike cops swarming the car that was tasked with following the march to ensure safety. One organizer directing traffic was threatened with arrest, citing that there was video evidence of alleged civil disorder; this was ultimately an empty threat.

The demonstration ended on a note of unity, with the emcee leading attendees in a chant, “An attack on one is an attack on all! United we stand, divided we fall!”

#PortlandOR #OR #ImmigrantRights #PDXCD

Portland, OR – In the wake of ICE’s murder of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis , and the Border Patrol’s shooting of Luis Nino-Moncada and Yorlenys Zambrano-Contreras in Portland the day after, immigrant rights organization Portland Contra Las Deportaciones staged several protests from January 7 – 9 calling for an immediate end to ICE murders and for justice for the victims of their terror.

On January 7, as news broke about Renee Nicole Good’s murder, Portland Contra las Deportaciones (PDXCD) called an emergency vigil and solidarity rally at Terry Schrunk Plaza downtown, across from Portland City Hall. Despite only hours of notice, around 300 people attended to grieve and vow to not back down in the face of escalating repression from the Trump administration.

“If they thought they were gonna scare us into submission, they have another thing coming”, said Holly Brown of PDXCD, followed by chants of “Fuck ICE!” from the crowd.

Brown continued, “If anything, they have just made our movement even bigger and even stronger, because we’re not gonna be quiet or stand down.”

The speeches also demanded action from the Portland city council and Mayor Keith Wilson, primarily to revoke ICE’s conditional use permit to operate their facility in Portland’s South Waterfront neighborhood.

Beatriz Ibarra of PDXCD declared, “We demand that the city revoke the ICE permit and remove ICE from Portland entirely.”

The next day, on January 8, a group of organizers with PDXCD’s Revoke the ICE Permit campaign walked into City Hall and up to Mayor Wilson’s office to demand a meeting with him. The campaign had sent over 1000 emails to his office demanding a meeting and a step-by-step plan from him on how he would kick ICE out of Portland as soon as possible. They planned to occupy the space in front of his office until he did so.

Around 2:30 p.m., shortly after the group walked to his office door and demanded a meeting, a contractor for Mayor Wilson’s office told the group that an emergency occurred in Portland and that Mayor Wilson was on the phone with ICE and Portland Police Bureau (PPB). The contractor said the mayor would likely not be able to meet with them that day. The group said that ICE’s presence in Portland was the biggest emergency facing the city and insisted on a meeting immediately.

Holly Brown questioned, “Is that what the mayor wants? He wants us to wait until someone in Portland gets murdered by ICE?” Over the following minutes, the organizers and gathered news crews would learn via rapid response networks that Border Patrol agents had attempted to murder two Portland resident’s half an hour earlier. Action needed to be taken immediately.

PDXCD called their second emergency action in two days, a mobilization to the Portland ICE facility. Around 7:30 p.m., 400 people had gathered to occupy the street in front of the ICE facility. PPB later sent in vans full of riot police to force protesters onto the sidewalk, but the crowd continued to chant and block the facility’s driveway even while confined to the sidewalk. After roughly half an hour, PPB officers meekly climbed back into their vans and drove away, surrendering the street to protesters.

Later, PPB returned to once again force protesters onto the sidewalk. They then charged towards and arrested five protesters, including Seth Todd, the well-known “Portland Frog.” Many of those arrested intend to fight the trumped-up charges that are alleged. After another prolonged standoff between the people and the police, PPB once again retreated to their vans and fled the scene. The protest continued without further incidents.

The third day of protests organized by PDXCD, January 9, was another protest at the Portland ICE facility, continuing to protest the two shootings that had occurred over the previous days. The event began with a rally at nearby Elizabeth Caruthers Park and was attended by Portland for Palestine (P4P), Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), and International League of Peoples Struggle (ILPS). The rally reiterated the demands of revoking ICE’s permit in Portland and seeking justice for victims of ICE.

“No more fees, no more ineffective policies. What we need, what our city needs more than ever, is to rid our communities of these masked thugs!” said Andrew Nourie of P4P, “I call on city council and the mayor to revoke ICE’s land use permit!”

Some speakers at the rally pointed out how Portland city government is not only refusing to take action to protect the city’s inhabitants but actively harming those who are by using PPB to suppress them, as seen the day before.

Cass Cano of PDXCD noted, “For months we have heard from our elected officials that the federal government is just too powerful, that there’s nothing they can do. Yet every day I see ordinary people like me and you, like Renee Nicole Good, stand up to the federal government to protect immigrants. And now, when there’s been a murder at the hands of ICE, our city government, instead of protecting us, chooses to deploy riot police to brutalize us!”

Video evidence from January 8 shows one protester being repeatedly punched by a PPB officer despite already being restrained on the ground.

After the rally, the crowd of 450 marched south towards the ICE facility and once again occupy the area in front of it. On the way there, the crowd chanted “Stand up, on your feet! Killer ICE off our streets”

Unlike the day before though, PPB made no attempts to force protesters out of the street, instead opting to have a dozen officers group up at one end of the protest and stand there for over an hour. It is likely that negative coverage of their suppression of the previous day’s protest, as well as the larger crowd, led to this timid approach. Nobody was arrested for the duration of January 9 protest.

Mayor Keith Wilson and Portland city council’s unwillingness to treat ICE’s presence in Portland as an emergency continues to have consequences that harm and endanger the people of Portland. As the anti-ICE movement within the city continues to grow and gain strength, they will likely be faced with only two options. As said by the protesters, “Revocation or resign, how many more have to die?”

#PortlandOR #OR #ImmigrantRights #ICE #ReneeGood #PDXCD