The Portland, Oregon chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America calls on Portland City Council and Portland Mayor Keith Wilson to take critical action to protect Portlanders from ICE and all Federal policing agencies.
Two Portlanders were shot by federal agents working as a rogue personal army for President Trump. We hold them in our thoughts, as well as the people of Minneapolis grieving Renee Nicole Good, who was killed this week by CBP murderers.
At a vigil and rally at city hall last night with 400 people in attendance, Portland DSA was joined by representatives of unions and community organizations, calling for the abolition of ICE and for the city to stand up to state violence. City Councilors Mitch Green, Sameer Kanal, Angelita Morillo, Tiffany Koyama Lane, Jamie Dunphy, and Candace Avalos also attended and spoke at the event.
“ICE must be abolished. The work of our time is to tear down the system that built it and remake it into one that embraces and designs systems that include all people from all places. This work will be done, because the alternative is unbearable. We do that by organizing block by block, neighbor to neighbor until we’ve built a mass movement. From Portland to Minneapolis, we will win,” said Councilor Mitch Green.
“ICE is a rogue paramilitary force that has declared war on our cities. This is a hostile takeover. We must not comply. We need complete noncompliance at all levels of government,” said Olivia Katbi, co-chair of Portland DSA.
Portland is a frequent target of Trump’s brutal crackdown on speech and communal defense— and, for an obvious reason: Portlanders believe in peace, freedom, and an end to state-sponsored brutality in all its forms. Time and time again, Portlanders have stood up and taken to the streets for the rights of all people, especially immigrants and people of color, to live free from the fear of police brutality and Trump’s fascist deportation regime.
“As we grieve the harm done to our community, we must also be clear-eyed about the moment we are in. This is how history repeats itself — unless people interrupt it,” said Councilor Tiffany Koyama Lane.
One fact is clear today: Sanctuary City status alone will not protect Portlanders. Now is the time for the City of Portland to take a more aggressive approach to keeping Portlanders safe from Federal terror.
We call on City Council to:
- Pass a policy of complete noncompliance with federal policing agencies, treating armed federal agents as overtly hostile actors
- Instruct the District Attorney to obtain a warrant to arrest the federal agents who committed the shooting
- Develop specific policies to defang and disempower federal agents within Portland, including prohibition of masks, local taxation of income earned from federal law enforcement activities, and any other meaningful restriction on their ability to recruit and operate within Portland
- Implement a human rights investment screen, to ensure Portland is not invested in companies that assist in ICE’s violence
Alongside the many organizations and Portlanders fighting to keep our immigrant neighbors safe, Portland DSA is ready to stand against Trump’s violence – both at home and abroad. Join us on Saturday, January 10 at 11 AM at the Battleship Oregon Memorial in Tom McCall Waterfront Park to protest the war on Venezuela and ongoing ICE violence in Portland and across the country.
“It’s going to take all of us standing in solidarity, and understanding that we must be disciplined in this moment. No matter how many people try to divide our movements, we must be disciplined. Our fight is one fight,” said Councilor Angelita Morillo.
Luisa Martinez, a formerly undocumented immigrant who is a member of Portland DSA and leader in the national organization, said: “ICE was created in 2003 and can be abolished. Throwing human beings into prison for civil infractions is a violation of international human rights laws. This violence and human suffering enriches private prison corporations while working people go without adequate housing, health care, and education.”
“ICE needs to be taken apart, brick by brick, and we need to salt the earth,” said Councilor Sameer Kanal.
