Federal agents in Portland carried out a raid this week after a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) helicopter was targeted with lasers. The operation led to the detention of four individuals, all of whom were in the country illegally.
The suspects are now in ICE Seattle custody, and charges are expected soon, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. During the raid, agents recovered the laser pointer allegedly used in the attack.
FBI Portland made it clear in a statement: “The federal government will not tolerate violence against federal officers, nor will we tolerate assaults on personal, commercial, or government aircraft.”
FBI Director Kash Patel went further, sending a stern warning:
“Targeting law enforcement will never be tolerated. In Portland, FBI agents and our federal partners swiftly took into custody four individuals here illegally who allegedly aimed lasers at a CBP aircraft. Let this serve as a warning: if you come after the men and women who protect this nation, we will come after you, and you will be put away.”
This comes just one day after Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a directive ordering federal agencies — including the ATF, DEA, FBI, and U.S. Marshals — to defend ICE personnel and facilities against political violence.
Portland has been a hotspot for anti-ICE demonstrations, and President Donald Trump confirmed he plans to send federal troops to reinforce security. Trump said DHS Secretary Kristi Noem formally requested backup and added that Secretary of War Pete Hegseth is authorized to deploy troops with “full force, if necessary” to protect ICE facilities under siege from Antifa and other violent extremists.
Despite mounting evidence of lawlessness, Portland’s Democratic mayor, Keith Wilson, dismissed the threat, insisting: “This is an American city. We do not need any intervention. This is not a military target.”
The Biden-era left continues to deny what’s happening on the ground, but federal officials are signaling they won’t sit back while law enforcement and facilities come under attack.