A broad coalition of Portland’s civic and political leaders has issued a joint statement emphasizing the city’s measurable gains in public safety and economic vitality, arguing that federal military involvement would jeopardize these advancements. The letter, signed by Oregon Governor Tina Kotek, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, and numerous local officials and organizations, challenges recent claims by President Donald Trump suggesting the city requires federal intervention.
The statement refutes the characterization of Portland as unsafe, citing a 30 percent reduction in gun-related incidents over the past year as evidence of effective local strategies. It credits community-driven public safety initiatives—combining law enforcement efforts with economic development programs—for the city’s improving conditions.
“The progress we’ve made belongs to Portlanders and our local law enforcement who work tirelessly each day,” the letter states, underscoring that externally imposed military presence could disrupt trust and deter investment, tourism, and business growth. The coalition points to previous federal deployments in Washington, D.C., as cautionary examples of how such actions can escalate tensions rather than resolve them.
The letter also references the controversial 2020 deployment of federal agents during protests following George Floyd’s death, which many residents and officials viewed as an overreach that damaged community relations. Signatories stress that no formal request was made for federal forces, and their sudden arrival lacks legal or operational justification.
Mayor Keith Wilson echoed these concerns in a Friday press briefing, describing the troop buildup as a performative gesture lacking clear purpose. He emphasized that local authorities are fully capable of maintaining order.
Tensions escalated Saturday night when video footage captured an ICE officer shoving a protester without apparent provocation near the federal building. While some residents support increased federal presence due to ongoing nightly demonstrations, others fear a repeat of 2020’s confrontations.
David Schmidt, a local resident, criticized the persistent noise and disruption caused by demonstrators, calling the situation unbearable for nearby residents. Conversely, Ocean Hosojasso expressed alarm over the potential for violence, warning that federal involvement could inflame tensions rather than calm them.
The administration’s move aligns with prior deployments in Democratic-led cities like Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., and follows threats to send troops to Chicago and Memphis. However, the White House has not clarified the timeline or mission parameters for the Portland deployment.
In response, the national advocacy group 50501 has organized a rally at Waterfront Park on September 28, framing the troop deployment as an authoritarian overreach. The group asserts that peaceful assembly is constitutionally protected and dismisses claims of domestic terrorism as baseless fearmongering.
They also affirm Governor Kotek’s position that the president lacks legal authority to deploy troops within Oregon without state consent. State officials are coordinating with the Attorney General to explore legal remedies and continue seeking federal support on non-military issues such as housing affordability, education, and infrastructure.
— news from KATU
— News Original —
Portland officials say federal troops undermine local safety and economic growth
A coalition of Portland ‘s leaders and stakeholders to the city. n nincluding a wide array of local officials and organizations, highlights Portland ‘s significant improvements in public safety and economic growth, arguing that federal intervention would undermine these achievements. n nRELATED: n nThe letter states, “Recent statements by the president suggesting Portland needs federal military intervention are inaccurate and counterproductive to Portland ‘s recovery and success in improving public safety.” It cites a and a 30% decline in gun violence over the past year as evidence of the city ‘s progress. n nThe coalition emphasizes that Portland ‘s community-centered approach to public safety, which combines economic opportunity with targeted interventions, is yielding measurable results. “The credit for this success belongs to our community and Portland law enforcement, who work hard to address these challenges every day,” the letter asserts. n nThe signatories argue that federal military intervention would threaten the city ‘s progress and deter business activity and tourism. They reference the negative impact of federal troop deployment in Washington, D.C., n nThe letter also recalls the 2020 deployment of federal agents in response to protests over the murder of George Floyd, which the coalition claims n nThe coalition calls on the Trump Administration to recognize Portland ‘s progress and refrain from interfering with local solutions. n n”Portland is vibrant and thriving,” the letter concludes, noting that the city was recently ranked among the fastest-growing U.S. metros for jobs and new talent. n nThe letter is signed by Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, and numerous other state and local officials, as well as business and community organizations. n nPortland currently n nLess than 24 hours after President Donald Trump announced he was sending troops to Portland, protesters and ICE agents came face to face with minor clashes. get detained by officers on Saturday night. n nIn an early-morning post on Truth Social, Trump said he has authorized “full force” if necessary to protect “War ravaged Portland.” n nSaturday’s announcement is the latest move the president has made in deploying troops in cities and states run by Democrats. n nIn his post, Trump said the decision was made to protect the city and ICE facilities “under siege by ANTIFA, and other domestic terrorists.” n nAn increase in federal agents was already witnessed on Friday. Portland Mayor Keith Wilson held a press conference Friday night, acknowledging the buildup and pushing back on the controversial deployment, calling it a “big show.” n nSEE ALSO: n n“I want to be clear about the situation we face. We now have a sudden influx of federal agents in our city. We did not ask for them to come. They are here without precedent or purpose,” Wilson said. n nSaturday evening, KATU recorded one incident where an ICE officer, seemingly unprovoked, shoved a protester to the ground. It is unclear what was said, if anything, prior to the confrontation. n nInstances of physical confrontation and loud noise into late hours of the night outside of the ICE building are why some area residents believe more federal troops should be brought into the area. n n”Every night, there ‘s tons of protesters basically being vagrants on the street,” David Schmidt, a Portland resident said. “The people that live in all these buildings right here have hell to go through. They are making noise constantly, even when nobody from ICE is outside. So for hours, they would be out here just disrupting the public here that lives here.” n nOthers believe a greater presence of federal officers will do the opposite of protecting the peace, referencing to the protests across Portland in 2020. n n”I just remember watching night after night, everything that was going on with the interactions between police and protestors, and I ‘m just worried that we ‘re going to see things blow up like they did in 2020,” Portland resident Ocean Hosojasso said. “It ‘s because our president and the federal government, they ‘re looking for a fight.” n nThe move is not without precedent. The Trump Administration has deployed the National Guard and other active-duty troops to Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. He has also threatened to deploy troops to several other cities, like Chicago and Memphis, Tenn. n nThe White House has not responded to KATU ‘s inquiry with answers on when federal troops will arrive in Portland or what their duties will be. n nPlanned rally on Sunday n nThe national movement known as 50501 has organized a protest in Portland in response to Trump ‘s decision. n nThe protest, scheduled for Sept. 28 at 3 p.m. at the Battleship Memorial in Waterfront Park, aims to oppose what the group describes as “authoritarian actions” by the Trump administration. n n50501, which stands for 50 States, 50 Protests, 1 Movement, is an organization which describes its members as advocates for democracy and against executive overreach. n nThe organization released a statement condemning Trump ‘s recent tweet, asserting that the president lacks legal authority to activate the Oregon National Guard. n n”There is no emergency,” the statement said. “What we are witnessing are legal and peaceful assemblies in response to ongoing abuses of federal power.” n nThe group emphasized that the demonstrations are protected by the U.S. Constitution and committed to nonviolent resistance. n nThe statement also criticized the administration ‘s claims of “terrorist activity” in Portland as “dangerous fear mongering” and “not rooted in reality.” n nThe group expressed support for Gov. Tina Kotek, who also stated on Saturday that Trump has no authority to deploy troops on state soil. n nOregon ‘s state leadership is coordinating with Attorney General Rayfield to prepare a legal response and continues to request federal aid for issues such as cost of living, schools, and infrastructure.