Although federal officials claimed there were over 100 protesters, KGW on-scene reports and resident interviews showed otherwise.
PORTLAND, Ore. — A statement from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Tuesday described a chaotic protest at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in South Portland Tuesday, claiming that over 100 people had stormed the building and clashed with law enforcement. However, KGW’s on-the-ground reporting, as well as interviews with residents nearby, suggest the situation was not as described.
In the statement to KGW, Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, said, in full:
“DHS’ heroic law enforcement officers continue to hold the line against violent rioters in Portland – even as radical leftist politicians hold their pay hostage. Tuesday night, over 100 rioters stormed an ICE facility in Portland. They assaulted law enforcement—even putting one member of law enforcement into the hospital—trespassed on federal property, attacked law enforcement by blinding them with strobe lights, and blocked the entrance to the facility. 6 rioters were arrested including for charges of assaulting law enforcement.
This violent attacks on law enforcement officers are unacceptable. ICE officers are already facing a 1000% increase in assaults against them. We will not allow Antifa domestic terrorists to deter us in our mission to make America safe, and those who try will be held accountable.”
KGW crews on the scene observed a smaller crowd, with no more than 40 people present.
“It definitely wasn’t 100 people,” said Adam Marshall, a nearby resident. “Honestly, for the most part, it was pretty peaceful yesterday and it wasn’t as chaotic as they were saying.”
Regarding the claim of assaults on law enforcement, McLaughlin’s statement noted that one officer had been hospitalized. KGW’s coverage confirmed that an ambulance did enter the facility, but the identity or condition of the injured officer remains unclear.
As for the alleged trespassing and attacks on law enforcement, KGW reporters observed only a few protesters over the course of several days crossing a painted line on the ground and one individual placing a sign on the building. Protesters were also seen using strobe flashlights and loudspeakers, though the situation appeared largely non-violent.
Marshall, who was observing the protest, said, “I didn’t see anybody rush the gate at all. I think more of the rushing came from the actual agents and stuff when they rolled out in the van and started just tearing down the street towards people.”
In its statement, McLaughlin also claimed that six rioters were arrested, some for assaulting law enforcement. However, KGW was unable to independently verify those arrests Wednesday, as the suspects were not booked into the Multnomah County Jail.
On Thursday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that one woman was charged with assaulting a federal officer on Tuesday, Oct. 30. Katherine Meagan Vogel, 39, was accused of striking an officer during an arrest after she “applied red paint to the driveway of the ICE facility,” according to a press release.
Vogel had her first court appearance Thursday morning and was released pending further proceedings. She could face up to eight years in prison if found guilty.
The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office told KGW that it has only processed one federal custodial booking into its corrections system between 12 a.m. Sept. 26, 2025 and 6 p.m. Oct. 1, 2025.
According to a spokesperson, the United States Marshals Service booked that individual into the Multnomah County Detention Center (MCDC) on federal drug and weapons-related charges, not assaulting a federal officer. They went on to report that they have no information on the specific location of the arrest, but the booking time occurred at 3:01 p.m. on Sept. 29, 2025.
DHS said it is investigating the details surrounding the arrests. We will update viewers as soon as that information is available.
Timeline of Portland protests and Trump’s National Guard deployments
Oct. 1: Trump announces on social media that National Guard troops are “now in place” in Portland, though none can be seen around the ICE building. Sen. Jeff Merkley says the 200 National Guard members are currently training at Camp Rilea before being deployed to Portland. DHS issues a statement describing a large and violent protest at the ICE facility the night before, which is largely contradicted by KGW’s reporting on the ground.
Sept. 30: Speaking to a nigh-unprecedented assembly of top U.S. military officers in Quantico, Va., Trump says that “America is under invasion from within,” and that he wants to use “dangerous” American cities run by Democrats as “training grounds” for the armed forces.
Sept. 29: The Oregon Military Department tells media members that National Guard units will deploy in Portland later in the week. The Oregon AG files for a temporary restraining order to block federalization of those guard troops, with a hearing likewise set for later in the week. A coalition of 17 Oregon mayors join a growing chorus of opposition in the state to Trump’s troop deployment.
Sept. 28: In comments to NBC, Trump briefly appears to waver on the issue of troop deployments. However, documents show that he and his administration quickly follow through on the threat, federalizing 200 Oregon National Guard Troops. Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield files a lawsuit fighting the guard activation. Text messages show the rapid breakdown of communication between Kotek and Trump after a promising start.
Sept. 27: On social media, Trump says he’s deploying troops to Portland, “authorizing Full Force, if necessary.” He cites threats to ICE facilities from “Antifa, and other domestic terrorists.” Gov. Tina Kotek speaks with Trump and other top administration officials, telling them that they have inaccurate information and that Oregon does not need military intervention.
Sept. 26: In an impromptu press conference with other local and state leaders, Portland Mayor Keith Wilson acknowledges reports of an influx of federal law enforcement agents into the city — the details unknown, beyond sightings of SUV convoys, circling helicopters and armored vehicles. Speakers uniformly urge Portlanders not to “take the bait” and to remain peaceful.
Sept. 25: Members of Oregon’s congressional delegation tour the Portland ICE facility. In comments to the press, lawmakers say that ICE officials were evasive or outright dishonest about their tactics when asked. They also push back on Trump’s characterization of Portland as a violent and destroyed place.
Aug. 29 – Sept. 25: Trump begins including Portland on a short list of cities he’s considering for National Guard deployments, ostensibly to combat crime. Over the next few weeks, he repeatedly mentions Portland without prompting, saying that life in the city is like “living in hell,” that people there have been going “out of control and crazy” for years, and that protestors “burn the place down” every night.
Aug. 20 – Aug. 28: Trump border czar Tom Homan makes an unannounced visit to the Portland ICE facility. A week later, in a press conference focused on the administration’s threats to deploy federal law enforcement to Chicago, Homan teases a similar “ramp-up” in Portland and other U.S. “sanctuary cities.”
Aug. 11: Trump federalizes the Metropolitan Police in Washington, D.C. and deploys National Guard troops, also sending federal law enforcement officers out to patrol the streets, claiming that the city has been “overtaken by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals, roving mobs of wild youth, drugged out maniacs, and homeless people.”
June 14: Thousands of people march in Portland amid nationwide “No Kings” protests against the Trump administration. Following the peaceful protest, a smaller group gathers outside the Portland ICE facility where police eventually declare a riot after clashes between demonstrators and federal law enforcement. Further clashes occur within the following days, but become less significant over weeks and months. Protestors outside the ICE facility rarely number more than a couple dozen, but demonstrations continue with regularity.
June 7: President Donald Trump federalizes 2,000 California National Guard troops amid protests in Los Angeles against the administration’s ramp-up of immigration raids. The administration also brings in several hundred Marines.
June 3: Masked agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrest a transgender asylum seeker outside a federal courtroom after she appears for a scheduled asylum hearing. She’s taken to the ICE facility on Portland’s South Waterfront, processed and shipped up to an ICE detention center in Tacoma, Wash. It’s the first known instance of ICE making a courthouse arrest in Portland, as the agency begins delivering on a Trump campaign promise of mass deportations. More arrests follow.