President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that he is sending troops to Portland to protect U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities. This decision comes after reports of violent protests by groups like Antifa, which Trump labeled as domestic terrorists.
In his post on Truth Social, Trump said he is authorizing Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to deploy “all necessary troops” to safeguard these facilities. He stated that the request for assistance came from Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and emphasized that he would authorize “full force, if necessary.”
The situation in Portland has escalated, with protesters targeting an ICE facility. There have been incidents of violence, including clashes with law enforcement and injuries to federal agents. Just this month, demonstrators set up a guillotine outside the facility, an act that Noem described as “unhinged behavior.” Trump has previously attributed the unrest to “professional agitators and anarchists.”
Adding to the tension, a recent shooting incident at an ICE facility in Dallas resulted in the death of one person and injuries to two others. Authorities reported that the shooter intended to target ICE agents, which reflects a growing trend of violence against these officials.
In light of these events, ICE agents have faced an alarming increase in assaults, with reports indicating an 830% rise compared to the previous year. Some agents have taken to covering their faces during arrests for safety. However, California Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed a law prohibiting ICE agents from masking, which has drawn criticism from officials who argue it endangers federal officers.
As tensions rise and protests continue, the deployment of troops to Portland marks a significant escalation in the federal response to unrest surrounding immigration enforcement.
