Occupy ICE has been blocking the entrances and exits of the ICE building in Portland, Oregon, swearing they would never move. That is until the police in riot gear showed up and they moved pretty quickly then some did try to remain but they were quickly arrested.
The police did not try to remove all the protesters, only the ones blocking the building. It is a federal crime to block people from entering or exiting a federal building. After removing the protesters, the police started dismantling their tent city and the furniture protesters brought with them, including couches.
The protesters want ICE closed down and resumption of the open border policies of Barack Obama. If I had my way, every time one was deported, they would be required to take a protester with them on their way out. The bottom line is this is a nation of laws and a law cannot be changed by protests. It takes an act of the US Congress.
“DHS is currently clearing the front of the building, arresting the people who were chained up and threatening people with felony charges. We are here holding shit down and we’re not going anywhere. Arrest us today, we’ll grow stronger tomorrow!”
DHS is currently clearing the front of the building, arresting the people who were chained up and threatening people with felony charges. We are here holding shit down and we’re not going anywhere. Arrest us today, we’ll grow stronger tomorrow! #OccupyICEPDX
— OCCUPY ICE PDX (@OccupyICEPDX) June 28, 2018
The movement began over a week ago when hundreds of protesters descended on the facility to protest the Trump administration’s decision to fully enforce U.S. immigration laws, eventually closing down local ICE operations at that facility.
The administration’s “zero tolerance” approach has, in some cases, resulted in the separation of illegal immigrant families. Many critics, often ignoring that such actions also occurred during the previous administration, have condemned efforts to curb illegal immigration through tough border control policies as a human rights atrocity, calling them a clear excuse for aggressive and disruptive activism.
DHS passed out fliers Monday and again on Tuesday warning protesters that they were violating federal law. The demonstrators tore them up, telling authorities they were not going anywhere.