Portland city leaders ‘on the same page’ against Trump military control, ICE raids

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The Portland Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility continues to be a focus of protests locally, even as the unrest gains the attention of the

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Two miles north of the federal facility, at Portland City Hall, residents of the Rose City are asking their elected representatives to stand up against not only ICE raids but the looming threat that the Trump administration has put forth of sending National Guard troops into the city.

For now, a federal court has extended its orders to keep the National Guard out of Portland for another two weeks. However, a three-judge panel with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals is still mulling over the case, and its ruling could potentially reverse that decision.

Because of this uncertainty, the Portland City Council has introduced its Protect Portland Initiative, a resolution aimed at defending the sovereignty of the city. The city council presented the plan on Wednesday evening, with 70 people signed up to give comments.

The initiative includes a demand for the Trump administration to stand down its deployment of the National Guard and military. It also instructs city workers to cooperate with community partners to develop plans for immigration raids.

City council leaders expressed support for the Protect Portland Initiative and another resolution to beef up protections for Portland’s already-existing sanctuary city status.

“We might not always agree, but as we face down federal actions, in many cases we are on the same page,” Portland City Council President Elaina Pirtle-Guinee said.

Though the Portland Police Bureau does not currently engage in federal immigration enforcement, the Protect Portland Initiative would also encourage the PPB to further separate itself from federal authorities.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said they have charged dozens of people with federal crimes for alleged offenses committed outside the ICE building since June 13, including assaulting federal officers, failure to comply and depredation of government property.

One of those protesters was playing a clarinet before being arrested on Sunday outside the ICE facility and booked into Clark County Jail. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon accused the woman, Oriana Korol, of interfering with the arrest of another person, then assaulting a federal officer by kicking and biting them as she was being detained. She appeared before a federal court on Wednesday and was released pending further court proceedings.