The Oregonian reported Monday that multiple people were arrested on the Fourth of July outside the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in Portland.
As threats against the Portland office persist, White House border czar Tom Homan has stated that a visit and increased enforcement are necessary because Portland is “out of control.”
“Our support, clerical, and administrative staff are not trained as law enforcement officers. And you’d think the Portland Police Department would protect them when they leave work, drive home, and are followed by these anarchists.
However, Portland Police Department does not assist, and we intend to increase enforcement personnel there,” Homan told KTTH host Jason Rantz.
U.S. border czar to visit Portland for increased ICE enforcement
Homan intends to visit the Portland office within the next five or six days to show employees they are not alone and to provide an extra layer of security.
“The president has got your back. Secretary has got your back. “I have your back,” he added. “We’ll send whatever resources we need to send here to number one, do the job that the president wants you to do, and I want you to do, and give you enough resources out here to protect you and your families.”
With 22 people facing federal charges in Portland for anti-ICE protests, Homan stated that the US Attorney’s Office is “fully engaged” and promoting a “zero tolerance policy.”
“You have the right to protest ICE, under the First Amendment. You can hate ICE. You can scream and yell at them. You cannot support them. However, you cannot cross that line,” Homan explained. “You cannot cross the line of knowingly harboring or concealing an illegal alien from ICE—that is a felony. And you certainly can’t touch an ICE officer.”
Rantz pointed out that because Portland is a sanctuary city, police officers are not allowed to intervene.
“Thanks for clarifying that, because those officers of Portland PD, they want to do the right thing,” Homan told him.
Rantz also revealed that he spoke with the local director of ICE in Seattle, who stated that there have been leaks about ICE raids from the Seattle Police Department and other Washington police departments.
“Is there going to be any kind of punishment for this kind of behavior in Seattle or elsewhere?” Rantz asked.
“If we can prove someone impedes our law enforcement efforts, we will seek prosecution of the U.S. Attorney,” Homan informed us. “I do not care who you are; I have zero tolerance. And remember what the left said for four years: no one is above the law.
President Donald Trump is not above the law. But, guess what? Neither are they. You obstruct law enforcement and ICE from doing their jobs; we will seek prosecution. “No tolerance.”
