House Democrats Demand Investigation In Alleged Use-Of-Force By Federal Authorities Against Protesters In Portland

House Democrats called for an investigation into the alleged use-of-force against Black Lives Matter protesters in Portland in recent days in letters to the inspector generals of the departments of Justice and Homeland Security.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, Homeland Security Chairman Bennie Thompson and Oversight and Reform Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney sent the letters to Justice IG Michael Horowitz and Homeland Security IG Joseph Cuffari on Sunday, expressing increasing alarm over the use of force against protesters.

“As we continue to stand with our fellow citizens protesting systemic racism and police brutality throughout the country, we are increasingly alarmed at the Trump administration’s use of federal law enforcement to violate the civil rights of our constituents,” the letter said. “The Department of Justice [DOJ] and the Department of Homeland Security [DHS] appear to have increasingly abused emergency authorities to justify the use of force against Americans exercising their right to peaceful assembly.”

The letter referred to reports of federal authorities in unmarked vehicles indiscriminately arresting protesters in Portland. Other authorities, including U.S. Marshals and Customs and Border Protection, allegedly arrested protesters without reading them their Miranda Rights.

“This is a matter of utmost urgency,” the letter continued. “Citizens are concerned that the Administration has deployed a secret police force, not to investigate crimes but to intimidate individuals it views as political adversaries, and that the use of these tactics will proliferate throughout the country. Therefore, we ask that you commence your review of these issues immediately.”

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler decried the alleged actions.

“Their presence here is actually leading to more violence and more vandalism. And it's not helping the situation at all. They're not wanted here,” Wheeler told CNN on Sunday. “The tactics that the Trump administration [is] using on the streets of Portland is abhorrent. People are being scooped off the streets into unmarked vans and rental cars, apparently. They are being denied probably cause and being denied due process. They don’t even know who’s pulling them into the vans.”

“As far as I can see, this is completely unconstitutional.”

The Oregon Department of Justice filed a lawsuit targeting multiple federal agencies over the allegations on Friday. It accused Homeland Security, the Marshals Service, Customs and Border Protection and the Federal Protective Service of alleged civil rights abuses and threatened criminal charges against any officers who "seriously injured" a protester.

Border Patrol has defended itself, saying the actions in Portland were justified under the President Trump’s executive order protecting federal monuments and buildings. The Marshals Service added while agents may drive unmarked vehicles, personnel wear uniforms identifying themselves as officers.

Trump has also defended his actions, repeatedly referring to protesters as “anarchists.”