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President Trump revealed on Saturday that, following a request from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, he instructed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to deploy troops to Portland to safeguard the city and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities.
Trump stated he was prepared to use “full force, if necessary.”
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin defended the request, citing weeks of violent protests at ICE facilities, attacks on law enforcement, and a terrorist incident at an ICE site in Dallas.
A DHS statement highlighted three anti-ICE events in Portland in late June, noting that rioters have consistently targeted the city’s processing center.
Protests outside Portland’s federal ICE detention facility have persisted since June, with escalations on July 4 and Labor Day. Many demonstrations turned violent, leading to the use of tear gas and temporary facility closures.
As predicted, Democrats and liberal groups opposed the president’s decision to enforce existing laws and protect federal property. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) urged Trump to “stay the hell out” of Portland following the announcement.
Wyden challenged Trump’s assertion that ICE facilities were “under siege,” sharing a video of a calm site and arguing that the city did not require federal troops.
Social media users quickly countered Wyden’s claims, posting footage of unrest near the facility and highlighting that violence often flares up at night.
Local reports confirm that protests have continued throughout the summer, putting law enforcement and federal officers in ongoing danger.
The Pentagon has stated it is ready to mobilize troops, with Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell affirming, “We are prepared to support DHS operations in Portland at the president’s order.”
Trump reiterated that the troops would be sent to protect Portland from antifa and other domestic terrorist groups.
Oregon’s status as a “sanctuary state” complicates the situation, as state and local law enforcement are prohibited from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement, making federal officers and facilities more vulnerable and justifying the need for troop deployment.
If the deployment proceeds, Portland will become the fourth city receiving military personnel under Trump, following Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and Memphis. This current deployment aims to prevent a repeat of the violent unrest that engulfed Portland during the 2020 George Floyd and Black Lives Matter protests.
Those protests frequently escalated into violence, including arson, looting, and attacks on the federal courthouse, with the city experiencing 90 consecutive nights of protests, leading many residents to view the events as riots rather than legitimate demonstrations.
Protesters established several so-called “autonomous zones,” including the “Chinook Land Autonomous Territory” in Lownsdale Square, and the “Patrick Kimmons Autonomous Zone” near Mayor Ted Wheeler’s residence, which was cleared by police. The most notable zone was the “Red House on Mississippi,” which lasted several days and was fortified with homemade traps and armed guards.
The economic toll on Portland was substantial, with the federal courthouse suffering $1.6 million in damages. Major retailers, including Walmart, Target, Nike, REI, Starbucks, and Cracker Barrel, closed multiple locations.
Portland saw 408 net small-business closures in 2019, with losses continuing through 2020 and 2021. A 2020 business survey revealed that 57 percent of businesses experienced revenue declines, with nightly destruction diminishing the downtown area’s appeal, leading to a 41 percent drop in foot traffic compared to May 2019 levels. While similar cities returned to pre-pandemic employment levels by April 2021, Portland lagged behind until July 2022.
Despite this, mainstream media downplayed the events, labeling them “mostly peaceful” and trivializing the autonomous zones, claiming they were merely a small part of the city. However, no part of a city should ever be surrendered to lawless protesters.
Official government documents and business data confirm that the destruction was more extensive and prolonged than the media suggested.
The situation in Portland was exacerbated by a progressive district attorney who declined to prosecute most suspects. In August 2020, Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt announced that his office would not prosecute protest-related cases that did not involve violence, theft, or intentional property damage.
This policy resulted in over 90 percent of approximately 550 arrests between May 29 and August being effectively dismissed.
Federal prosecutors also quietly dropped numerous cases, with some defendants released after minimal community service, including just 30 hours in one case.
Due to local authorities’ failure to manage the violence, President Trump authorized a workaround by deputizing local and state law enforcement as federal marshals, granting them federal authority and allowing U.S. prosecutors to handle cases instead of the county DA.
The U.S. Marshals Service deputized 22 sheriff’s deputies and 56 members of Portland’s Rapid Response Team, extending their federal authority until the end of 2020. Additionally, Oregon State Police troopers were deputized to protect the federal courthouse, replacing federal officers who had withdrawn.
This federal approach allowed for stronger penalties against attacks on federal officers, potentially resulting in federal prison sentences. The deputization enabled Oregon State Police and Portland officers to arrest individuals for federal offenses and transfer cases to federal prosecutors, circumventing the DA’s lenient policies.
The federal government had the constitutional authority to take this action, deploying officers to protect federal buildings and overriding state or local officials when acting within its constitutional rights.
This allowed federal prosecutors to pursue charges of assault on federal officers, which often carry more severe penalties than local charges.
