Portland Mayor Demands ICE Agents Leave City After Tear Gas Used on Protesters

Mayor Keith Wilson condemns federal agents' use of force against peaceful demonstrators outside ICE facility.

Feb. 1, 2026 at 8:55pm

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Portland Mayor Keith Wilson has called for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to leave the city after federal forces used tear gas, pepper balls, and rubber bullets against protesters outside an ICE facility. Wilson condemned the agents' use of violence and the "trampling of the Constitution," saying they have "lost all legitimacy" and should "go home."

Why it matters

The incident highlights ongoing tensions between local officials and the federal government over immigration enforcement, especially during the Trump administration's second term when tensions have escalated. Portland has been a flashpoint for protests against the administration's immigration policies, and this latest clash raises questions about the limits of federal authority and the role of local governments in responding to the presence of federal agents.

The details

On Saturday, protesters outside an ICE facility in Portland faced a heavy-handed response from federal agents, who deployed tear gas, pepper balls, rubber bullets, and flash-bang grenades against the crowd. Mayor Wilson condemned the agents' actions, saying the "vast majority" of protesters "violated no laws, made no threat, and posed no danger to federal forces." He called on ICE agents to resign and for those in control of the facility to leave, saying they have "replaced" their legitimacy with "shame."

  • The incident occurred on Saturday, February 2, 2026.

The players

Keith Wilson

The Democratic mayor of Portland, Oregon, who has condemned the federal government's use of force against protesters in his city.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

The federal agency responsible for immigration enforcement, whose agents were involved in the confrontation with protesters in Portland.

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What they’re saying

“Today, federal forces deployed heavy waves of chemical munitions, impacting a peaceful daytime protest where the vast majority of those present violated no laws, made no threat, and posed no danger to federal forces.”

— Keith Wilson, Mayor of Portland

“To those who continue to work for ICE: Resign. To those who control this facility: Leave. Through your use of violence and the trampling of the Constitution, you have lost all legitimacy and replaced it with shame. To those who continue to make these sickening decisions, go home, look in a mirror, and ask yourselves why you have gassed children.”

— Keith Wilson, Mayor of Portland

What’s next

The incident is likely to heighten tensions between local and federal authorities in Portland, and could lead to further legal and political battles over the role of federal immigration enforcement in the city.

The takeaway

This clash between Portland's mayor and federal immigration agents underscores the ongoing conflict between local jurisdictions and the Trump administration's aggressive immigration policies. It raises questions about the limits of federal power and the ability of cities to push back against the presence of federal agents within their borders.