Protesters seen near the Multnomah County Justice Center on July 17, 2020 in Portland, Oregon. Federal law enforcement agencies try to intervene as protests continue in Portland.
Mason Trinca | Getty Images News | fake pictures
House Democrats called for an immediate investigation Sunday into reports that federal law enforcement officers have illegally arrested protesters in Portland, Oregon, in recent days.
House of Representatives Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson, and Oversight and Reform Committee Chair Carolyn Maloney signed a letter Sunday condemning recent police actions authorized by the Trump administration in Portland and last month in Washington DC and called for Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security Inspectors General to open investigations.
“The United States Attorney General does not have unlimited authority to direct thousands of federal law enforcement officials to arrest and detain American citizens exercising their First Amendment rights. The Acting Secretary [Chad Wolf] it appears to depend on a poorly designed executive order aimed at protecting statues and historical monuments as a justification for arresting US citizens in the middle of the night. ”
Reports emerged that as early as July 14, federal law enforcement officers had been using unmarked vehicles in Portland to arrest participants in the protests, which were initially sparked by the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police on Memorial Day weekend. Federal authorities, including the U.S. Marshals Special Operations Group and a U.S. Customs and Border Protection tactical unit, Allegedly arrested, searched and detained people without proper notification of their Miranda Rights.
On Sunday, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler told CNN’s Jake Tapper about “The State of the Union” that the presence of federal troops and compliance officers is actually leading to “more violence and more vandalism,” and He added that he is not helping the situation.
“The tactics the Trump administration is using on the streets of Portland are abhorrent,” says Wheeler. “People are being taken off the streets in unmarked vans and rental cars,” he added, saying that detainees are denied their right to due process.
The United States Border Patrol said in a statement that its “agents have been deployed to Portland in direct support of the Presidential Executive Order and the newly established DHS Task Force on Protection of American Communities (PACT).”
“As a law enforcement component under DHS, CBP will provide support, as needed at the request of the Federal Protective Service, to protect federal facilities and property,” the Border Patrol said.
A sheriff’s service spokeswoman told CNBC that while the agency uses unmarked vehicles, its staff wear clear identification on their uniforms. In addition, officers let people know why they are being detained.
Acting Homeland Security Secretary Wolf condemned resistance from local leaders to the additional law enforcement, saying in a letter issued Thursday that Portland “has been under siege for 47 days in a row by a violent mafia, while political leaders Locals refuse to restore order to protect their city. “
President Trump also defended the dispatch of federal agents on Sunday, saying his administration “is trying to help Portland, not hurt it.”
In addition to the recent events in Portland, House Democrats are also asking inspectors general to investigate the actions taken by President Trump to eliminate protesters in Washington DC. Last month, riot police from various federal agencies, including teams from the Bureau of Prisons for Crisis Management, were called to Lafayette Square protesters outside the White House in Washington DC so President Donald Trump could participate in a photo session in front of the Church of San Juan.
“The legal basis for this use of force has never been explained, and frankly, it is not entirely clear that the Attorney General and the Acting Secretary are authorized to deploy federal law enforcement officers in this manner,” write Democratic lawmakers. .
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