Leaders urge calm and demand halt to ICE operations after federal agents shoot two in SE Portland

Portland Mayor Keith Wilson, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, and a wide array of community leaders demanded a halt to federal immigration operations and asked Oregonians to remain united and calm, pending a full investigation into an incident where federal agents shot and wounded two people in a hospital parking lot in the Hazelwood neighborhood.

Speaking at a press conference, local leaders demanded that federal officials halt immigration enforcement activities until a thorough investigation is complete. Police Chief Bob Day cautioned that the Federal Bureau of Investigation is leading the effort, and that many details remain unclear. The shooting, which occurred in a parking lot at Adventist Hospital in Southeast Portland, came a day after an ICE agent shot and killled Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis.

"This violence in our community is devastating," Wilson said. "These are not statistics. These are human beings. Portland is not a training ground for militarized agents. When the administration talks about using 'full force,' we are seeing what that means on our streets. The consequences are not abstract. They are felt in hospital rooms, in living rooms, in the quiet moments when families try to make sense of what happened. We know what the federal government says happened here. There was a time when we could take them at their word. That time is long past."

"That is why we are calling on ICE to halt all operations in Portland until a full and independent investigation can take place. Our community deserves answers. Our community deserves accountability. And most of all, our community deserves peace," Wilson said.

Watch the Press Conference

More statements from local leaders

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek:

"While the details of the event remain limited, one thing is very clear. When a president endorses tearing families apart and attempts to govern through fear and hate rather than shared values, you foster an environment of lawlessness and recklessness. Trust is essential to maintaining public safety asnd the ruile of law. Federal agents at the direction of the Department of Homeland Security are shattering trust. They are hurting people and they are destroying, day by day, what we hold dear. Our safety, and our sense of safety, are severely undermined by what happened this afternoon in Portland," Kotek said.

Portland Mayor Keith Wilson:

"Today, I want to say clearly: we stand with Minneapolis. We stand with Chicago. We stand with Los Angeles. We stand with every community that is hurting, every family that is afraid, every person who feels unseen or unheard. ICE agents and their Homeland Security leadership must be fully investigated and held responsible for the violence inflicted on the American people - in Minnesota, in Portland, and across the nation," Wilson said.

City Councilor Loretta Smith:

"I live in that district. The struggle is real for immigrants and refugees who live in our communities - what happened today is so unconscionable and another example of the federal administration's overreach. This cannot continue," Smith said.

Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson:

"Enough is enough, the terror and violence ICE is causing in our neighborhoods must end now," Vega Pederson said.

Oregon State Senator Kayse Jama:

"I have been in this country for 28 years and I'm a former refugee. I have never thought I would see this moment in the United States of America. This is a challenging time for us. My colleagues and I are working together to protect Oregonians who are fearful, who are scared, who are facing prosecution under federal law… I am outraged and angry and frustrated, as many Oregonians are. I share your frustration. I share your fear. And I know the struggle is real. Let me say this to Oregonians. Oregon is welcoming. We want to keep it that way. We want to fight for that. We want to work hard for that. We want to make sure that all Oregonians feel welcome. To ICE, I say: This is Oregon. We do not need you. You're not welcome. And you need to get the hell out of our community," Jama said.

Rev. J.W. Matt Hennessee, pastor of the Vancouver Avenue First Baptist Church:

"I want to tell the immigrant community, especially the Latinx community -- we are with you. As faith leaders, as members of the black community, you are our brothers and sisters. Nobody is going to stop us and nobody is going to break the chain of us working together. My favorite verse of 'We Shall Overcome' is 'We Are Not Afraid." We are not afraid. And we will not be made to fear. We are going to rise above, we are going to reach out to one another,and we are going to work together, pray together, and protest peacefully together. Peace and love always win," Hennessee said.

The speakers included:

• Portland Mayor Keith Wilson
• Portland Police Chief Bob Day
• City Councilor Loretta Smith
• Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson
• Oregon State Senator Kayse Jama
• Oregon State Representative Andrea Valderrama
• Jessica Maravilla, policy director, American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon
• Tony DeFalco, executive director of the Latino Network
• Rev. J.W. Matt Hennessee, pastor of the Vancouver Avenue First Baptist Church
• Rev. W.J. Mark Knutson, pastor of Augustana Lutheran Church

In addition to the press conference, several Oregon leaders posted messages online.

Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield:

"We are deeply troubled by reports that two people were shot and injured in Portland today during an incident involving federal agents. We have been clear about our concerns with the excessive use of force by federal agents in Portland, and today's incident only heightens the need for transparency and accountability. Oregonians deserve clear answers when people are injured in their neighborhoods," Rayfield said. Read the full statement.

Multnomah County Board of Commissioners:

"What we can say now is enough is enough. The terror and violence ICE is causing in our neighborhoods must end now. The County will not stand by as the federal government attacks our neighbors. We stand united in our support for our immigrant and refugee neighbors. Just this morning, we unanimously voted to extend an emergency declaration in response to the ongoing harm caused by ICE activity, and we will keep showing up every way we can," the board said.

"We know County residents are angry. We are angry. Portlanders have a proud tradition of opposing injustice through nonviolent protest, and we encourage our community to keep showing up as they have been to oppose this horrific violence. We must stand together," the board said. Read the full statement.