PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — New questions about federal force in Portland arise after tear gas and pepper bullets filled Portland’s South Waterfront this weekend, as federal officers clashed with anti-ICE protesters.
“I am deeply concerned about the conduct of these federal officers,” said attorney Juan Chavez with the Oregon Justice Resource Center.
As the Director of the Civil Rights Project, Chavez says the Fourth Amendment protects against excessive force.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem visits Portland, officials confirm
“Officers need to have particular reasons to use force against the person that they’re using these weapons against. That is just the opposite of what happens when these federal officers are using tear gas or pepper spray – that’s injuring everybody,” he said. “That is dispersing people who are engaged in First Amendment protected activities, and that’s not what law enforcement should be doing.”
He says federal officers can enforce federal law — but arrests outside the ICE facility must involve a clear federal violation…