Federal authorities on Thursday began taking apart a makeshift tent camp blockading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) headquarters in Portland, Oregon.
Federal officers wearing tactical gear began clearing out protesters demonstrating at the facility against the Trump administration’s now-halted family separation policy
“At approximately 5:30 a.m. today, federal law enforcement officers initiated a law enforcement action to reopen the federal facility at 4310 SW Macadam Avenue in Portland,” a Federal Protective Service spokesperson said.
Photos and videos of the clear-out have begun circulating on social media.
Police in tactical gear move in as agents dismantle protesters' makeshift blockade of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Portland, Oregon – @KGWNews https://t.co/R0YeDertTb
— Breaking News (@BreakingNews) June 28, 2018
The ice building enforcement is underway, this is as we walked up they were arresting someone connected to this vehicle trying to enter Macadam. @KGWNews @KGWSunrise pic.twitter.com/sKcgdwGly3
— Tim Gordon (@TimGordonPDX) June 28, 2018
VIDEO: Minutes ago, DHS police escort people out from inside of the ICE HQ in Portland. #OccupyICEPDX #OccupyICE pic.twitter.com/QMdWG74L9z
— PDX Mike Bivins (@itsmikebivins) June 20, 2018
Federal officers at ICE building in Southwest Portland. Clearing way for business to resume here. Area that is not federal property and not in way of people coming and going from building appear to be left alone. A few officers are on the roof. @KGWNews @KGWSunrise pic.twitter.com/B6uQ0XgWoi
— Tim Gordon (@TimGordonPDX) June 28, 2018
CLEARING OUT CAMP: Federal authorities are sweeping a camp that has surrounded the SW Portland ICE building for almost two weeks and are telling protesters to vacate the site. Watch the latest live updates from @TylerDumontNews on Good Day Oregon on FOX 12 PLUS at 7 a.m. pic.twitter.com/CyfEMr0fZG
— FOX 12 Oregon KPTV (@fox12oregon) June 28, 2018
The ICE protest campground in Portland continues to get torn down. Protestors very upset. This fence just got knocked down. #LiveOnK2 pic.twitter.com/osFfK1zwfO
— Genevieve Reaume (@GenevieveReaume) June 28, 2018
HAPPENING NOW: Protesters face-to-face with DHS agents as they clear out the ICE entrance in Southwest Portland pic.twitter.com/2bj8mcngWp
— Trevor Ault (@TrevorKOIN) June 28, 2018
Since Sunday, hundreds of immigration activists have been demonstrating outside the agency’s facility, calling for the abolishment of ICE. Protesters held signs reading “ICE=Trump’s Gestapo,” outside Portland City Hall.
Demonstrators also carried signs reading, “What would Jesus do?” and “Super, Callous, Fragile, Racist, Sexist, Nazi, POTUS.”
The International League of People's Struggle, Portland is making its presentation. The speaker is calling for Imperialism to be struck down #koin6news #pdx #Oregon #ICEprotestPdx pic.twitter.com/QFBHOzQPXd
— Jennifer Dowling (@JenDowlingKoin6) June 24, 2018
Over the weekend, Oregon State Representative Diego Hernandez (D) joined demonstrators to protest ICE and criticized President Donald Trump’s executive action aimed at halting immigrant families from being separated.
“So is the executive order a solution?” Hernandez asked. “No! Hell No! Children and families are still in detention prisons. It did nothing to reunite children, who are already separated and it gives the attorney general a path to detain them indefinitely.”
Self-described Democratic Socialist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who defeated ten-term incumbent Rep. Joe Crowley (D-NY) in New York’s 14th congressional district, wants ICE to be abolished.
“As overseen by the Trump administration, ICE operates with virtually no accountability, ripping apart families and holding our friends and neighbors indefinitely in inhumane detention centers scattered across the United States,” says Ocasio-Cortez. “[I] believes that if we are to uphold civic justice, we must abolish ICE and see to it that our undocumented neighbors are treated with the dignity and respect owed to all people, regardless of citizenship status.”
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