Hundreds of demonstrators filled the streets outside Portland's U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building Sunday after President Donald Trump ordered the deployment of 200 Oregon National Guard troops to the city, escalating tensions between the White House and state leaders. The Pentagon confirmed the deployment, saying the guardsmen were federalized "to protect U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other U.S. Government personnel" for 60 days.
Federal agents armed with rifles patrolled rooftops near the ICE facility as families, activists, and black-clad protesters gathered, chanting and beating drums through the afternoon. The protest shut down bus service in the area, and ICE agents periodically moved through the crowd to clear traffic for vehicles entering the facility.
Later in the evening, confrontations intensified. ICE agents fired pepper balls at several protesters while attempting to escort a car into the building. A small group of counterprotesters also confronted demonstrators, sparking heated verbal clashes.
The deployment follows Trump's weekend announcement that he would send federal troops to Portland to guard ICE facilities against what he called attacks by "antifa and other domestic terrorists." "At the request of Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, I am directing Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to provide all necessary Troops to protect War ravaged Portland," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "I am also authorizing Full Force, if necessary."
Oregon officials pushed back forcefully, saying the move was unnecessary. Attorney General Dan Rayfield said on X that "Oregon communities are stable, and our local officials have been clear: we have the capacity to manage public safety without federal interference." He added, "Sending in 200 National Guard troops to guard a single building is not normal."
Portland-area protest organizer Dina, who identified herself as the wife of a veteran, called Trump's order a "moral injury." "We are not going to stand for people following illegal orders," she said, accusing federal officials of portraying peaceful demonstrators as dangerous.
The presence of federal troops has reignited tensions dating back to 2020, when Trump sent federal law enforcement to Portland amid nightly protests over racial justice. City and state Democratic leaders again criticized the deployment, saying there was no widespread violence to justify a military presence. Oregon and Portland filed a federal lawsuit alleging the administration had overstepped its authority.
The protests are expected to continue through the week, as organizers call for nightly demonstrations.
