The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has responded to a controversial anti-ICE protest that occurred in Portland, Oregon, where hundreds of nude demonstrators gathered outside an ICE facility on Sunday. The event, described as ‘bizarre’ by DHS officials, involved participants baring their bodies while chanting anti-ICE slogans and performing gestures toward federal agents. Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, in a statement to Fox News Digital, condemned the protesters’ tactics, calling them ‘unsightly’ and asserting that they would not deter the agency from its mission to deport dangerous individuals. McLaughlin emphasized that ‘these unsightly tactics won’t stop us or slow us down,’ highlighting the Department’s resolve to uphold law and order despite the disruptive demonstration.
The protest, which reportedly took place during a rainy Sunday, included elements of a ‘die-in’ where participants lay down on the ground in front of the ICE facility. Some demonstrators had slogans written on their bare skin, including ‘No Kings’ and ‘No human being is illegal,’ while others yelled ‘F— ICE’ and made obscene gestures toward federal agents. According to a video shared on X by The Post Millennial’s Katie Daviscourt, the scene was chaotic, with a group of federal agents observing the protesters from a rooftop and some using their phones to record the controversial event. The protest was also linked to a larger demonstration against President Donald Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops to Portland, which has been a focal point of ongoing tensions between ICE and local activists.
McLaughlin noted that while the demonstration was ‘absurd,’ federal law enforcement in Portland has faced far more than just provocative protests. Over the past several weeks, ICE agents have been targeted by violent protesters in multiple U.S. cities, including incidents in Chicago where protesters rammed and cornered an ICE vehicle, prompting agents to open fire. Anti-ICE demonstrators have frequently obstructed ICE vehicles, thrown rocks, and ignited fireworks at federal agents, creating a volatile environment. According to DHS, there has been a 1,000% increase in doxxing incidents targeting federal agents and their families, further escalating tensions.
McLaughlin highlighted that the Sunday demonstration was part of a broader pattern of violence and chaos in Portland, which she attributed to ‘Antifa domestic terrorists and anti-ICE rioters.’ She noted that three protesters were arrested for assaulting law enforcement, including acts of spitting, kicking, and biting officers. McLaughlin also expressed support for President Trump’s efforts to deploy additional federal resources, including agents from the CBP, FBI, DOJ, and DEA, to restore order in the region. She claimed that ‘this chaos and violence will end under President Trump’ and emphasized that law and order will prevail in the face of such protests.