ICE confirms it has temporarily shut down Portland facility over protests

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed Wednesday that it has temporarily shut down a regional office in Portland, Ore., due to persisting protests near the facility.

“ICE operations at this location have been temporarily halted due to security concerns,” an ICE spokesman said in a statement reported by Oregon Public Radio. “Normal operations will resume once security concerns have been addressed.

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“Appointments scheduled for Wednesday at the ICE office on Macadam Avenue have been canceled,” the ICE statement continued. “ICE deportation officers will touch base with individuals who had scheduled appointments at this location to reschedule. These appointments will not be reported as missed check-ins.”

The Portland chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America has been touting the protest on Twitter and a GoFundMe for a group called Occupy ICE Portland has raised $4,272 since Tuesday.

This ICE office is now closed. #OccupyIcePDX @occupyicepdx pic.twitter.com/9Z7keCAuq1

— DSA Portland Oregon (@PortlandDSA) June 20, 2018

The demonstrations, which were launched in protest to President Trump’s “zero tolerance” policy that separated families at the border, began on Sunday night and carried on throughout the week.

A protest organizer told The Hill on Wednesday that the facility remained closed following days of protests, which have resulted in at least one person being arrested.

“They haven’t been able to move cars in and out for the past three days. For the most part, it’s been rendered non-operational,” Garrett Hour, one of the protest organizers, told The Hill.

Protestors have reportedly been camping outside the building and have placed signs near the facility that read, “Kick out ICE” and “Will trade racists for refugees.”

One person was arrested during protests that took place Tuesday afternoon, the Federal Protective Service told The Hill.

“Federal Protective Service Officers gave multiple verbal warnings for the demonstrators to clear the area, one male demonstrator was arrested on state charges of interfering with a peace officer and obstruction of governmental administration,” said Robert Sperling, a spokesman with the Protective Service.

An ICE spokeswoman told The Hill that the Protective Service was called on Tuesday afternoon “due to security concerns resulting from the ongoing protests at this location.”

After days of backlash, Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order aimed at stopping the separation of children from families detained after illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border.

– Emily Birnbaum contributed