Portland-area county declares state of emergency over ICE activity, as police probed for helping DHS
As the Trump administration adds federal law enforcement focus to Portland, Oregon, local officials in neighboring areas are pushing back on the Department of Homeland Security and investigating their own...
By Fox News · Fox News
As the Trump administration adds federal law enforcement focus to Portland, Oregon, local officials in neighboring areas are pushing back on the Department of Homeland Security and investigating their own police forces for alleged collaboration. Unrest in the Portland area grabbed President Donald Trump ’s attention over the summer – and by late September – he announced deployment of troops to the "war-ravaged" city – an effort that Trump-appointed Judge Karin Immergut blocked in October. Washington County, an area home to about 600,000 people immediately west of Portland, declared a state of emergency last week in response to DHS’ increased enforcement in the area. PORTLAND CODIFIES SANCTUARY STATUS, ORDERS CITY POLICE TO FURTHER SEPARATE FROM ICE The move opens up $200,000 in emergency funding to help community organizations that serve impacted residents, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) . An immigrations rights group official was one of several residents to complain about ICE ramping up enforcement , telling OPB that her organization was receiving 100 phone calls on the matter daily and that broken glass is "everywhere" from ICE officers breaking car windows to detain occupants. County Commissioner Nafisa Fai told the outlet that residents may benefit from moratoriums on evictions and having their electricity shut off over nonpayment if breadwinners in their family are taken away by ICE. ICE DIRECTOR SAYS PORTLAND FACILITY FACES VIOLENCE WITH 'LITTLE HELP FROM LOCAL POLICE' Meanwhile, in nearby Eugene – the state’s third-largest city – the police department will reportedly be subject to independent review over allegations that officers aided or coordinated with federal immigration authorities. The Eugene Police Auditor, an agency independent of the force itself, will be conducting a "complete and thorough investigation," according to Eugene’s CBS affiliate , citing an auditor’s office official. The issue arose after residents complained that Eugene…