A Portland, Ore., resident is calling on Immigration and Customs Enforcement to use water cannons against protesters occupying the South Waterfront facility, claiming the crowds have disrupted neighborhood life and hampered public safety.
In an X post on July 21, the individual said he “is fed up with protesters ‘harming’ his community, and doesn’t feel safe in his own neighborhood.”
A Portland resident is requesting ICE to deploy water cannons on agitators involved with the occupation outside the ICE facility.
He says he is fed up with protesters “harming” his community, and doesn’t feel safe in his own neighborhood. pic.twitter.com/lhukgEMea1
— Katie Daviscourt 📸 (@KatieDaviscourt) July 22, 2025
The protests, part of the broader Occupy ICE movement, have been ongoing since June and have frequently turned confrontational. Demonstrators have reportedly damaged property near the facility, erected blockades, and deployed fireworks and noisemakers through the night.
Officials in the city have confirmed that non‑lethal crowd control measures—including pepper balls, smoke grenades, and tear gas—have been used by federal agents in response to violent skirmishes. In one instance, Portland police used pepper spray during a June confrontation, although they say federal agencies, including ICE, conducted most munitions deployment.
Portland City Councilors are actively reviewing whether ICE’s current permit should be revoked. Under the existing conditional‑use agreement, the agency is limited to detaining individuals for no more than 12 hours. City documents indicate over two dozen potential violations have been flagged. At a recent hearing, protesters warned councilors they might seek recalls if no action is taken.
Some residents, including the X poster, argue the situation has become untenable. “Using megaphones, and [the protestors] have air horns just going on, I’ve tried to talk to people, and they just start screaming at me, it’s super aggressive,” one neighbor told KPTV. Another filed a suit requesting enforcement of city noise ordinances, claiming disability has left them particularly affected by persistent protest noise.
No formal response from federal authorities on the request for water cannon deployment has been issued. The Department of Homeland Security and ICE declined to comment when reached, and Portland’s mayor and city attorney have said they are reviewing both public safety and legal considerations.
The City Council is expected to vote on ICE’s conditional‑use permit later this summer. For now, protests continue nightly, with neighbors raising concerns about disruption, and ICE operations being met with increased tension outside the facility.
