Federal officers policing the Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Portland say they were subjected to a barrage of hateful and at times racially-charged invective during the monthlong demonstration at the facility.
Email records obtained by The Oregonian/OregonLive detail some of the insults and taunting that several nonwhite federal officers say they endured. The newsroom is not publishing officers’ names by request of the Federal Protective Services, which cited safety concerns if identities are revealed. The agency did not respond to a request for comment.
Protesters have held a nonstop demonstration at the ICE field office since June 17, decrying the Trump administration policy of separating children and parents detained after border crossings. Demonstrators have called for a swift end to the policy and the abolishment of ICE.
Marshall Runkel, chief of staff for Commissioner Chloe Eudaly, on Tuesday confirmed he heard reports from Department of Homeland Security officials and protesters about racially-tinged verbal altercations between officers and protesters. A representative of Abolish ICE PDX, an occupier group led in part by people of color, declined to comment.
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