U.S.Citizen detained by Masked ICE Agents in Portland, Oregon
PORTLAND, Ore. – A U.S.citizen was briefly detained by masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Portland, Oregon, this week, prompting outrage from a local congresswoman and demands for transparency from federal authorities. The incident underscores growing concerns about the scope of immigration enforcement under the Trump management and the potential for misidentification of citizens.
The individual, whose name has not been publicly released, was apprehended outside his home by ICE agents wearing masks. While the duration of the detention remains unclear, the incident has ignited a firestorm of criticism, with Democratic U.S.Rep. Janelle Bynum condemning the actions as an unacceptable overreach of federal power.This case joins a series of recent reports of U.S. citizens wrongly targeted by ICE in states including Alabama, Florida, and Southern California.
According to attorney Amy Fuller, representing the detained citizen, the individual possesses a California birth certificate proving U.S. citizenship. Fuller has sent a tort claim notice to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and a letter to its leader, Kristi Noem, requesting documentation justifying the detention.
“I hope that ICE and the senior officials will just provide us the documentation,” Fuller stated.”If it truly was an honest mistake that couldn’t have been avoided, then we won’t go to court. Right now, we’ve just been given no answers. And so that’s all we’re asking for at this point, it’s just answers.”
Aggressive immigration enforcement has been a cornerstone of President donald Trump’s agenda.Critics argue that the pursuit of stricter enforcement has led to increased instances of mistaken identity and the targeting of individuals who are legally entitled to reside in the United States.
Bynum expressed her “infuriation” over the incident, stating, “Masked federal agents aren’t welcome in our state and they can’t keep kidnapping Americans.” The congresswoman’s statement reflects a broader anxiety among civil rights advocates about the potential for abuse of power by federal immigration authorities.