Portland Mayor Keith Wilson urged ICE officers to resign and called for the agency to leave the city following an incident where federal agents used tear gas and other crowd-control measures against demonstrators at an immigration facility. This included a young girl who was exposed to the chemicals during what the mayor described as a peaceful daytime protest.
In a statement, Wilson said that federal forces unleashed “heavy waves of chemical munitions” against a crowd that posed no threat and broke no laws. “To those who continue to work for ICE: Resign. To those who control this facility: Leave,” Wilson stated.
The events took place Saturday outside an ICE facility on Portland’s South Waterfront. Demonstrators had gathered for an “ICE out” protest. The Associated Press reported that federal agents used tear gas, pepper balls, and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd. Local police observed the protest while paramedics treated those affected by the chemical agents.
Videos from the scene spread widely online. One clip showed a crying girl as adults assisted her after exposure to the irritant. In the video, she could be heard saying, “It burns,” while someone rinsed her eyes with water.
Wilson connected his call for ICE to leave Portland with what he described as a pattern of federal enforcement tactics that have stirred tensions in various cities. He echoed demands from Minnesota after a notable immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis, where Mayor Jacob Frey asked ICE to exit the city and state.
The protest in Portland occurred during a larger wave of demonstrations against the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement policies. The AP reported that many demonstrators were families with children, and the federal facility in question serves as a site for immigration status assessments.
In his statement, Wilson argued that federal tactics and messaging have made confrontations more intense. He stated that the city would consider taking additional legal and administrative actions to limit the use of chemical agents near homes and public events.
Federal officials have attributed unrest around some immigration facilities to what they call violent actors, but city and community leaders have challenged those claims in reference to specific daytime protests. Local reporting and national coverage have highlighted the repeated use of munitions near an affordable housing complex close to the ICE office, where residents reported being frequently affected by tear gas and other weapons used during clashes.
The Washington Post noted that tenants at Gray’s Landing, an apartment building near the ICE facility, filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security. They claimed that the federal agents’ crowd-control tactics have made living conditions unsafe and unmanageable. The lawsuit seeks to limit how federal officers use tear gas and other munitions near homes, particularly those where children live.
Wilson’s demand placed Portland’s Democratic mayor in direct opposition to federal immigration authorities at a time when the White House has emphasized strict enforcement and stated the need to protect federal property. The AP reported that President Donald Trump has expressed strong support for federal agents and called for decisive action when officials perceive threats to facilities.
Although the mayor did not specify which ICE leaders he reached out to or provide a timeline for the agency’s departure, he framed his statement as a message to both individual employees and higher-ups.
