Portland Federal Agents Open Fire on Two People During Immigration Stop, Amid Growing National Outrage Over ICE Agent's Killing of Pregnant Woman.
Federal agents from the U.S. Border Patrol opened fire on two people during an immigration stop in Portland, Oregon, just one day after a similar incident involving an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent sparked widespread outrage across the country.
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that the federal agents were conducting immigration enforcement when they shot the two individuals, but provided no evidence to support their claims that the passengers were involved with organized crime groups or had any involvement in recent shootings.
According to Portland Police, who responded to a report of gunshots at 2:18 pm, the officers found a male and female with apparent gunshot wounds and transported them to hospital. The incident is still under investigation by the police department.
The shooting comes as the nation grapples with the growing trend of aggressive immigration enforcement actions taken by ICE agents in recent weeks. Just yesterday, an ICE agent was involved in a fatal shooting in Minneapolis that left a pregnant woman dead.
"This is not just a local issue, it's a national problem," said Portland Police Chief Bob Day, urging calm as his department works to learn more about the incident. "We understand the heightened emotions and tensions many are feeling following the recent shootings of individuals by ICE agents."
The Intercept has been reporting on the growing trend of ICE aggression and its devastating consequences for immigrants and communities across the country.
"The U.S. government is now waging a war on immigration enforcement, with agents being given blanket permission to use deadly force," said The Intercept Editor-in-Chief Ben Messig. "We're fighting back, but we need your support to keep shining a light on this crisis."
Federal agents from the U.S. Border Patrol opened fire on two people during an immigration stop in Portland, Oregon, just one day after a similar incident involving an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent sparked widespread outrage across the country.
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that the federal agents were conducting immigration enforcement when they shot the two individuals, but provided no evidence to support their claims that the passengers were involved with organized crime groups or had any involvement in recent shootings.
According to Portland Police, who responded to a report of gunshots at 2:18 pm, the officers found a male and female with apparent gunshot wounds and transported them to hospital. The incident is still under investigation by the police department.
The shooting comes as the nation grapples with the growing trend of aggressive immigration enforcement actions taken by ICE agents in recent weeks. Just yesterday, an ICE agent was involved in a fatal shooting in Minneapolis that left a pregnant woman dead.
"This is not just a local issue, it's a national problem," said Portland Police Chief Bob Day, urging calm as his department works to learn more about the incident. "We understand the heightened emotions and tensions many are feeling following the recent shootings of individuals by ICE agents."
The Intercept has been reporting on the growing trend of ICE aggression and its devastating consequences for immigrants and communities across the country.
"The U.S. government is now waging a war on immigration enforcement, with agents being given blanket permission to use deadly force," said The Intercept Editor-in-Chief Ben Messig. "We're fighting back, but we need your support to keep shining a light on this crisis."