Oregon prosecutors vow to arrest ICE agents for use of ‘excessive force’ against violent Antifa agitators

The letter, signed by Multnomah County District Attorney Nathan Vasquez, Clackamas County District Attorney John Wentworth, and Washington County District Attorney, demands the federal government "immediately halt unlawful and reckless actions by federal officers operating in Oregon." The District Attorneys said they are "actively monitoring federal conduct" and "will investigate any case where a federal officer appears to be acting outside the reasonable scope of their duties," which the DAs referred to as "criminal behavior."

This comes as the ICE facility in South Portland has been the site of constant "unlawful" protests since June 7, where federal agents have been repeatedly assaulted by agitators, many of whom are involved with Antifa terrorist networks, and followed home. Protesters created an illegal 24-hour occupation and have committed ongoing criminal acts of violence against federal agents and the facility for more than five consecutive months, as indicated by the US Attorney's Office for the District of Oregon.

As a result of the violence and unlawful activity against federal agents, officers have been forced to use less lethal crowd control munitions to disperse agitators following repeated warnings to clear the area.

Attorney General Rayfield and the local District Attorneys issued a list of demands, including halting unlawful actions, improving training, coordinating with local law enforcement agencies at the Portland ICE facility, investigating excessive-force complaints, and cooperating fully with state investigations, according to the letter.

While the letter demands that federal officers coordinate with local law enforcement agencies, the self-declared sanctuary state of Oregon prohibits state and local law enforcement agencies from cooperating with ICE or federal police on immigration-related matters. This is outlined in the state's "Sanctuary Promise Act."

Additionally, DHS Federal Protective Service (FPS) officials testified at trial last month, with evidence, that the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) refused to help quell violent riots outside the ICE facility over the span of more than three months. The Post Millennial can verify this information, as TPM reporter Katie Daviscourt was on the ground nearly every day from late June to October and did not witness Portland Police having any ground presence during the months mentioned at trial, which resulted in President Donald Trump ordering the National Guard to be deployed to assist.

Despite state and local law enforcement agencies refusing to assist federal officers with violent, criminal agitators at the ICE facility, the DAs wrote in the letter, "The volume and severity of force used by DHS officers in Oregon over the last six months has eroded trust, jeopardized public safety, and undermined the cooperative relationships that effective law enforcement depends on."

The letter mentions last month's federal trial over the National Guard deployment, in which Portland Police brass testified against ICE and FPS, stating under oath that they used "excessive force" against demonstrators while dispersing crowd control munitions. Several Portland Police rank-and-file sources told The Post Millennial that the majority of PPB officers disagree with the testimony offered by PPB executives, calling the Portland Police's conduct surrounding the ICE facility since June "embarrassing." At least one source stated that PPB "failed" and "abandoned" their fellow law enforcement partners.

The letter also claims that ICE agents have been using excessive force while apprehending illegal immigrants in the Portland metro area, providing several examples of recent arrests. However, the examples listed can easily be refuted.

One example mentioned is the recent viral arrest of a 17-year-old high school student in McMinnville, who was apprehended by federal agents during his lunch break, prompting community outrage. DHS said that Christian Jimenez was detained for allegedly impeding and obstructing immigration enforcement operations by using his vehicle to "violently attack" federal agents. Jimenez was among a group of unlawful anti-ICE protesters who had been encircling federal vehicles on November 21 in an attempt to barricade agents to prevent them from carrying out operations, a federal crime.

Over the past several months, Antifa-affiliated agitators have been disrupting and impeding ICE operations in the three Oregon counties on a near-daily basis. Federal officers have been frequently doxxed and targeted in the field and at their homes. The District Attorneys have yet to investigate these cases.

"I am deeply concerned by the tactics federal agents are using in their immigration arrests," said Clackamas County District Attorney John Wentworth in a press release. "If these tactics were used by local law enforcement to apprehend non-violent offenders, there would be public outrage and rightfully so."

Washington County District Attorney Kevin Barton added, "I am proud to join my fellow Portland area district attorneys and the Oregon Attorney General in a combined effort to protect the rights of Oregonians...when we hear concerning reports of excessive use of force and accounts of Oregonians who feel unsafe in their own communities, we are obligated to speak up." "Law enforcement, federal or local, has a responsibility to accomplish their mission while ensuring everyone's safety," said Multnomah County District Attorney Nathan Vasquez. "Gratuitous force has no place at any level of law enforcement."

The Department of Justice has targeted all three counties, threatening to withhold federal funding over their noncompliance with federal immigration law.

The Post Millennial reached out to the DOJ and DHS for comment.