Oregon Lawmakers Demand Homeland Security Withdraw its Federal Agents from Portland After They Tear-Gassed Oregonians

Oregon Lawmakers Demand Homeland Security Withdraw its Federal Agents from Portland After They Tear-Gassed Oregonians

Wyden, Merkley, Bonamici, Salinas, Bynum and Dexter: "Attacking our communities is not law enforcement: it is a blatant suppression of people's constitutional rights."

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today led a letter with U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley and U.S. Reps. Suzanne Bonamici, Andrea Salinas, Janelle Bynum and Maxine Dexter demanding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) withdraw its federal agents from Portland and stop inflicting violence on the American people in Oregon, Minnesota and nationwide.

The letter from the Oregon lawmakers to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem comes after the federal forces deployed by the Trump administration unleashed harmful chemical munitions and life-threatening projectiles this past weekend in Portland on Oregonians exercising their First Amendment rights in broad daylight.

"DHS agents indiscriminately launched tear gas, pepper balls, rubber bullets, and flash-bang grenades into a peaceful and planned gathering of labor groups, including nurses, teachers, and their families. We and our constituents watched in horror as federal agents aggressively tear-gassed children and elderly members of the community," the lawmakers wrote. "The chemicals and projectiles used by your agents also threatened the health and safety of nearby residents. These people presented no threat, violated no law, and posed no danger to federal agents. Attacking our communities is not law enforcement: it is a blatant suppression of people's constitutional rights. No lawful justification exists for such reckless and excessive use of force. We firmly oppose the actions of federal agents using deadly force against the very people they are sworn to protect and serve, and so should you."

Wyden, Merkley, Bonamici, Salinas, Bynum and Dexter said in their letter to Noem that her department's continued violent suppression of free speech has led directly to the murder of two U.S. citizens in broad daylight in Minneapolis, and the reckless conduct of federal agents has led to the deaths of countless immigrants in DHS custody.

"We have every reason to believe your continued lawless, paramilitary operations on our streets will be deadly for Oregonians," they wrote. "This administration lacks any legal basis to continue its failed campaign of inciting violence in our communities, whether in Oregon, Minnesota, or anywhere else in America. Your violence has already wounded and killed too many people in U.S. cities. Therefore as elected representatives who swore the same oath you did to uphold the Constitution, we demand you immediately end using excessive force against our communities and withdraw your federal agents from Oregon."

"The Oregon congressional delegation will use every tool at our disposal to protect all community members, who deserve to feel and be safe," the Oregon lawmakers concluded. "No one in our community should live in fear of federal agents attacking them on their streets as punishment for exercising their constitutional rights. We will do everything in our power to defend the rights of Oregonians, including our immigrant communities, and we will work with our state and local community leaders, and partners across the nation, to continue peacefully countering the Trump administration's lawless abuse of power."

The entire letter is here.

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