Portland Protests Prompt ICE Video and Military Response
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recently shared a video that shows protesters in Portland moving around in flatbed carts, all set to Camillionaire’s 2005 track “Liddine.” The video, which has garnered over 8.4 million views and more than 113,000 likes, depicts a striking scene: a person with their hands cuffed behind their back, lying face down on a hoodie while being wheeled along. The caption reads, “Let me take a walk and refuse a walk? We’ll ride you,” which has drawn mixed reactions online, with some users expressing outright disgust.
In terms of responses, ICE has yet to comment on inquiries regarding the arrests featured in the video at the time of this article’s publication.
This video release coincided with President Trump’s decision to bypass federal orders and send 300 California State Guard troops into Portland amid ongoing anti-ICE demonstrations in the area. California Governor Gavin Newsom confirmed the troop deployment via a post, indicating it followed a federal court’s decision to block attempts to use the Oregon National Guard.
Last week, Trump had urged the Secretary of Defense to use “all necessary troops” in Portland, stressing the need to protect ICE from what he termed “domestic terrorists.” This has led to a call from Oregon officials to halt the military’s involvement.
In a related legal development, U.S. District Judge Karin Imargat ruled on Saturday that deploying active-duty troops in Portland conflicted with the U.S. Constitution. She suggested that Trump’s military orders did not align with the actual circumstances surrounding the protests, particularly at an immigration processing center in South Portland.
In her ruling, she noted, “Overall, the protest was small and peaceful,” emphasizing that “the president’s resolve was simply ignored by the facts.”
Before this ruling, hundreds had gathered in protest outside the South Macadam Avenue Detention Center, and reports indicate that tensions escalated, with federal agents responding to demonstrators with tear gas and pepper spray.
