PORTLAND, Ore. — Two hundred members of the Oregon National Guard will train at Camp Rilea Armed Forces Training Center in Warrenton before being deployed to Portland, Sen. Jeff Merkley said Wednesday during a media briefing. Merkley explained that the troops will prep for several days along the Oregon coast.
“Training in crowd control, training in the rules for use of force before being deployed,” Merkley told reporters.
It’s not clear when troops will be on the ground in Portland. The Oregon Military Department referred all questions about deployment to the Defense Department. Members of the U.S. Army’s Northern Command are leading the operation.
President Trump ordered the deployment of the Oregon National Guard into federal service for 60 days after repeatedly raising concerns about Portland, including comments Wednesday posted on Truth Social calling the city a “never-ending disaster.”
‘I KNOW THIS ISN’T EASY’: Oregon National Guard’s adjutant general writes to troops ahead of Portland mobilization
On Wednesday afternoon, a small group of peaceful protesters assembled outside the ICE facility in South Portland. By later afternoon, roughly a dozen demonstrators stood outside. Some held signs, while others dispersed bubbles into the air.
Just two blocks away, neighbors, OHSU medical students and professionals filled a local coffee shop. They worked on laptops, while others chatted.
“It’s nice down here,” said Chris Johnson, owner of All Your Heart Coffee. “It feels to me like the narrative is inaccurate when you hear that the city is on fire.”
The federal immigration facility sits in South Portland — away from the downtown core, in an area not easily accessible. Most Portland residents are more likely to recognize neighboring businesses, such as the Oregon Ballet Theatre or Old Spaghetti Factory.
“It’s a great environment here, honestly,” said PJ Smith. He and his dog Tofu live in the South Waterfront neighborhood, where sleek, high-rise apartments and condos overshadow the ICE office.
“It’s not a war zone,” said Smith. “There’s nothing here that’s scary. I’m walking out here in a hoodie and shorts, for crying out loud.”
For several months, a small group of demonstrators have gathered in front of the ICE facility — leading to occasional clashes with federal agents at the building.
Previously, the ICE office has been the site of large-scale protests, including the 2018 Occupy ICE encampment, but never have these demonstrations triggered deployment of the National Guard.
Sept. 30: Speaking to a nigh-unprecedented assembly of top U.S. military officers in Quantico, Va., Trump says that “America is under invasion from within,” and that he wants to use “dangerous” American cities run by Democrats as “training grounds” for the armed forces.
트위터 공유: 포틀랜드 평화 지키는 오리건 주 방위군 훈련 시작