PORTLAND, Ore. — On Wednesday, officials in Portland, Oregon, announced plans to issue a land use violation notice to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building, asserting that the facility has been detaining individuals beyond the limits established by its land use approval.
The conditional approval, granted in 2011, prohibits overnight detainment or holding individuals for more than 12 hours. The city has documented 25 instances of this provision being violated from last October through July of this year.
Mayor Keith Wilson expressed concern over these violations: ‘U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement made clear detention limitation commitments to our community, and we believe they broke those policies more than two dozen times.’ The city’s permitting bureau launched the investigation following formal complaints from community members.
The announcement of the notice follows a period of sustained protests outside the ICE building, with gatherings increasing in intensity and frequency, especially during June. Immigration advocates frequently gather there during the day, while protesters, often in black attire and helmets, demonstrate at night.
Portland has established its position as a sanctuary city, where local law enforcement does not enforce federal immigration laws. The city maintains that complaints against ICE are being taken seriously, evaluating data released under public records requests by the nonprofit Deportation Data Project.
Landowners have a 30-day period to address the cited violations after receiving the notice, which may result in fines if substantial evidence of non-compliance is found. The permitting bureau has stated that the process can lead to hearings regarding any reconsideration of land use approvals, with decisions subject to appeal.
This scrutiny comes amid a backdrop of national discussions about immigration enforcement and the local implications of federal policies. The controversies surrounding immigration in Portland reflect a broader tension regarding civil rights and community safety, intersecting local governance with federal immigration practices.
