PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Portland, Oregon, announced plans on Wednesday to issue a land use violation notice to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building in the city. The notice cites the facility for detaining individuals beyond the limits of its conditional land use approval, which has been in place since 2011.
The conditional approval stipulates that individuals cannot be held overnight or for more than 12 hours. The city claims ICE has breached this agreement 25 times between October of last year and July 27. Mayor Keith Wilson emphasized the significance of compliance, stating, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement made clear detention limitation commitments to our community, and we believe they broke those policies more than two dozen times. I am proud of our team for conducting a thorough, thoughtful investigation, and referring the matter to the next steps in the land use violation process.
The upcoming violation notice, set to be issued on Thursday, reflects escalating tensions surrounding the facility, which has become a flashpoint for local protests against immigration enforcement practices. Protesters, often supporting immigrant rights, have gathered frequently in recent months, with demonstrations peaking in June and ongoing smaller events since then. During these protests, advocates offer support during the day while demonstrators, frequently dressed in black, confront the facility at night.
President Donald Trump has weighed in on the matter, suggesting he might consider deploying federal troops in response to the protests. This reaction raises concerns about government intervention in local protests, similar to actions taken in other cities. As federal and local law enforcement dynamics evolve, the situation in Portland remains under scrutiny.
Under Portland's sanctuary policy, city employees, including law enforcement, do not enforce federal immigration laws, aligning with Oregon's state sanctuary laws aimed at prohibiting local and state involvement in immigration enforcement without proper authority.
The investigation into ICE's practices was initiated after the city received formal complaints, prompting a review of data released under the public records requests. The city’s permitting bureau reports that the most recent violation occurred on May 20.
Landowners will have 30 days to address any violations after being notified. Should evidence of substantial violations persist, fines may be imposed. Additionally, the permitting bureau can pursue further reconsideration of land use approvals, with appeals directed to the city council.
