Federal immigration enforcement officials at the Portland, Oregon ICE facility report enduring over 100 consecutive nights of escalating violence, all while local police have largely stood down due to political directives from the city’s mayor and city council, Fox News reports. Cammila Wamsley, director of Portland’s ICE office, expressed deep frustration over the lack of support and protection for federal officers and staff undertaking their lawful mission to uphold America’s immigration laws.
Wamsley described how peaceful protests have devolved into full-blown nightly assaults, including bottle rockets being launched at the ICE building, windows smashed by rocks, lasers deliberately aimed at officers’ eyes, and barricades thrown to block vehicles. She warned that after dark, organized groups clad in black arrive intent on wreaking havoc—blocking cars, throwing paint, damaging property, and even stalking ICE employees to their homes.
Despite these clear threats and assaults, Portland police have been slow to respond or failed to respond at all, bound by sanctuary city policies imposed by the mayor and council that prioritize political posturing over public safety. Wamsley lamented that the police adopt a hands-off approach toward the ICE facility that they would never show for other parts of the city, leaving federal staff dangerously exposed.
Todd Rignel of Homeland Security Investigations revealed that multiple federal agencies, including the FBI, ATF, DEA, and IRS, are coordinating to target Antifa-linked groups responsible for much of the violent unrest. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has authorized sending 200 National Guard troops to protect immigration officers and restore order, a move obstructed by Portland’s sanctuary city leadership who reject federal intervention even as their city burns.
This dangerous conflict underscores a stark reality: while ICE officials remain committed to enforcing immigration laws established decades ago, left-wing city leaders have fostered an environment of lawlessness and hostility toward federal agents simply doing their jobs. Until local authorities step up instead of enabling chaos, federal forces could continue to face nightly battles against violent demonstrators emboldened by sanctuary politics.