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Former Vice President Kamala Harris spoke in downtown Portland Wednesday evening, drawing a small group of protesters. Meanwhile, steady rain kept the protest small outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in South Portland. Also Wednesday, Homeland Security fast-tracked the expansion of arrest powers for the Federal Protective Service, allowing officers to make arrests beyond federal property and specifically target individuals committing crimes while wearing masks. Here’s what we know. Feds in Portland Homeland Security fast-tracks expanded arrest powers off federal property Rain dampens ICE protests as Portlanders eye Supreme Court ruling’s potential impact: Get caught up Trump’s National Guard deployment could hinge on how Supreme Court interprets two words Kamala Harris speaks in Portland, draws small protest Exactly one year since losing the presidential election, former Vice President Kamala Harris spoke to a packed Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall — sharing stories of her brief but historic presidential run and praising Portlanders for their fighting spirit. The appearance marked one of the last stops of Harris’ “107 Days” book tour, where the former — and only — female U.S. vice president discussed her whirlwind campaign last year. The event sold out almost immediately after Harris’ visit was announced back in August. The former Democratic presidential nominee praised Portland residents. “Congratulations to the people of Portland, the leaders of every stripe — whether in an elected office or not — for achieving a victory under a most abhorrent assault on constitutional values,” Harris said. “This may sound quaint, but I believe in the power of an individual to make an effort, even though it’s exhausting sometimes.” Harris said she felt inspired by the young people in the audience, praising their resilience in growing up amid the climate crisis, living through a global pandemic and facing uncertainty about their future careers. “The thing that I also love about Gen Z: They’re fully aware of all this, and they are extremely impatient with the rest of us,” Harris said. “They are ready to lead.” A couple hours before Harris took the stage, organizers from Portland for Palestine gathered across the street from the concert hall to protest Harris’ book tour. The group of about 35, focusing on the Biden administration’s support for Israel during the Jewish state’s war with Hamas, rattled tambourines and chanted “Killer Kamala” and “We want justice/You say how/Stop arming Israel now.” One organizer, Andrew Nourie, said the group was bringing attention to the “war crimes” Harris committed during her vice presidency — and denouncing her potential bid for president in 2028. Read the full story. Weather keeps ICE protest small Down at the South Portland ICE facility, rain kept the nightly protest small, with fewer than a dozen in the area at 7 p.m. under a steady drizzle. Among the protesters were a couple wearing inflatable costumes of a pink frog and a skeleton. By 8 p.m., the crowd numbered around 20, and was a mix of demonstrators, live streamers and curious onlookers taking pictures. Hundreds protest aggressive immigration enforcement Hundreds of people packed the Hillsboro City Council auditorium on Tuesday night to decry the escalation in immigration enforcement in the community, following weeks of reports of federal agents in unmarked vehicles detaining residents and dragging people out of cars in front of businesses and schools, apartment complexes and parks. The council work session drew about 200 people in person and an additional 300 online. It included more than five hours of emotional testimony from residents, business owners and advocacy groups. “ICE agents are terrorizing our community,” said Olga Acuña, president of the Washington County-based Latino Policy Council, citing reports of agents in plain clothes and unmarked cars making arrests without identifying themselves, refusing to show judicial warrants, using overly aggressive tactics and arresting U.S. citizens and other residents with legal status. Read the full story. Homeland Security fast-tracks expanded arrest powers off federal property The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has expanded the authority of the Federal Protective Service, allowing officers to make arrests beyond federal property and specifically target individuals committing crimes while wearing masks. The new regulation, which was originally scheduled to take effect in January, has been implemented early due to what U.S. officials described as a “recent surge in security and public safety threats.” Federal Protective Service officers have already been conducting arrests outside Portland’s U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building during protests, working alongside officers from immigration enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Bureau of Prisons. Under the expanded authority, FPS officers can now arrest people off federal property for several specific offenses, including using unauthorized drones, alleged disorderly conduct, and wearing masks or hoods that conceal identity while committing crimes. The new powers also cover arresting those obstructing access to federal property, impeding federal officers, tampering with government technology such as electronic card readers, or creating threats or hazards to federal property or staff. Read the full story. Portland police overtime costs for ICE protests approach $1 million Portland police have spent around $900,000 in overtime costs since June staffing demonstrations at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility, according to a court exhibit. The protests by the South Portland facility have occurred for roughly 22 weeks and became reanimated after President Donald Trump’s announcement authorizing the deployment of Oregon National Guard troops. Since then, police have dispatched dialogue officers in white shirts to the protests and staged several bike cops from afar so they could intervene when necessary. The overtime figure emerged at trial last week in the U.S. District Court case over Trump’s troop deployment. The court filing and police data looks closely at the period after Trump’s Sept. 27 announcement. Read the full story. British expert brings soccer crowd control tactics to Portland protests A British psychology professor known for transforming European soccer-match policing is now helping Portland police adopt a friendlier approach to crowd control at protests, including demonstrations outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building. Clifford Stott, a social psychology professor at Keele University, advocates for what’s called “dialogue policing” – treating crowds as collections of rational individuals rather than unruly mobs. The Portland Police Bureau contracted Stott in September, agreeing to pay up to $125,000 for a year of training under a federal grant. The shift comes after Portland’s turbulent 2020 social justice protests, when officers used tear gas and projectiles, employing force on protesters 6,000 times and paying millions in injury claims and lawsuits. “What we find is that where police forces use this theory to help shape their policing response, they’re far more effective at preventing disorder, particularly of the scale and intensity that Portland experienced in 2020,” Stott said. Read the full story. Oregon communities mobilize to support immigrants amid federal crackdowns As immigration enforcement intensifies across Oregon, a growing network of neighbors, churches and grassroots organizations is stepping up to support immigrant communities facing increased scrutiny under the Trump administration. Jose A. Garibay Esquivel, owner of Isabellas Market in Salem, finds his phone buzzing at all hours with calls from people seeking help or sharing information about immigration crackdowns. Known as “El Compa Tony,” Garibay Esquivel began sharing ICE activity alerts on Facebook earlier this year after noticing misinformation spreading on social media. “What’s important here is the community,” he said. “And what I do is connect what I know with a necessity. If there’s a person who has a need, and I know a person who can help, then I connect them.” Garibay Esquivel’s efforts have inspired others, including tow truck operators who now volunteer to retrieve abandoned cars of people arrested by immigration agents. Read the full story. What we’re watching for this week Oregonians await U.S. District Judge Karin J. Immergut’s final decision after she called on Sunday for a temporary injunction barring deployment of National Guard troops to Portland. Her final decision could be issued by Friday, but some say that her recent ruling signals she may be leaning toward granting a permanent injunction. Want an afternoon update? The Oregonian/OregonLive’s new ICE Protests in Portland newsletter is delivered to thousands of subscribers at 3 p.m. daily. To join them, simply click here to opt in.
