Representative Janelle Bynum from Oregon has accused federal authorities of engaging in “state-sponsored terrorism” after a shooting incident involving U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Portland on Thursday.
Bynum expressed her strong feelings in a statement, emphasizing, “This is not law enforcement. This is state-sponsored terrorism.” She added, “Stop playing with us. This is the second shooting this week by operatives acting under a would-be dictator aiming to instill fear among the American public and exert control over our cities. Earlier this year, the president deployed the National Guard to our cities. We made it clear that their presence was neither welcome nor useful. Today highlighted the dangers we face. We need to move past these threats,” she insisted.
The incident resulted in two injuries, and according to the Department of Homeland Security, federal agents were involved due to an attempted vehicle attack. The shooting happened when Border Patrol agents were attempting to stop a vehicle linked to undocumented Venezuelan immigrants associated with the Torren de Aragua gang, which has been involved in recent shootings in Portland. The vehicle driver allegedly tried to run over a law enforcement officer, prompting agents to fire their weapons in self-defense.
The Department of Homeland Security reported on Friday that both individuals in the vehicle had previously entered the United States illegally and had been released under the Biden administration. They stated, “Yesterday, two people believed to be connected to the Torren de Aragua gang, who were released onto American streets by Joe Biden, used their vehicles as weapons against Border Patrol agents in Portland. The agents acted immediately to protect themselves and others.”
The driver was identified as Luis David Nico Moncada, a Venezuelan illegal alien and suspected gang member who was apprehended previously for drunk driving. A deportation order has since been issued against him. The passenger, Yorlenis Betsabeth Zambrano-Contreras, also a Venezuelan illegal alien with ties to the criminal organization, had entered the U.S. earlier this year and was allegedly involved in prostitution and recent violent incidents.
This shooting in Portland followed another critical event in Minneapolis where an ICE agent shot a driver amid a targeted operation that escalated when a mob attempted to intervene. The agency labeled the incident an act of domestic terrorism, stating the officer fired in defense of himself and others following a threat on his life.
