In a White House press conference on September 25, 2025, President Trump flamed the city of Portland, Oregon for being a “city of agitators and anarchists”, and claimed his administration has plans to “whip cities back into shape”. Trump was likely referencing a Fox News report earlier in September dramatically portraying protestors outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities that ended in a clash between the protestors and law enforcement.
My aunt and uncle actually live in Portland, not too far from the ICE facility, so I interviewed them to get a better understanding of what protests are actually going on, and if federal intervention in Portland is as necessary as Trump claims it to be. Here are some of the questions I asked, and their responses.
Q: What is going on with the National Guard and ICE over there?
A: My aunt and uncle said that Trump attempted to send the National Guard to patrol Portland and the anti-ICE protests, but he was blocked by federal district court judge Karin J. Immergut. However, they predicted that decision might be overturned, even though that may be hard to sell because they say there has been very little violence at the protests. (Side note: their predictions turned out to be true; appeals courts overturned the block as of October 20, 2025). As for ICE activity, they said they have noticed an increase in helicopters flying lower and more frequently and officers with large guns monitoring from the tops of the ICE facility. They thought this increase in ICE presence is an intimidation tactic, and more vulnerable groups are especially worried about their safety from ICE. My aunt talked about how at the hospital she works at, some patients are afraid to come in person because they don’t know if they’ll be safe now that ICE is allowed to detain people in hospitals.
Q: What do the protests at the ICE facility look like? Are they really how Trump says they are?
A: Protestors are using unconventional, yet extremely effective, tactics. They have dressed up in inflatable frogs, chickens, bunnies, and other animal costumes, dancing in the street and peacefully protesting. My aunt and uncle described that costumes are being handed out for free, at a stand called the “inflation station”. Others are participating in knitting sit-ins, roller skating parties, elderly protestors are singing patriotic songs, and some even did a naked bike ride outside of the ICE facility. They also emphasized that the actual area of protest is only half a block; so it’s not really anything like Trump said it is. They suspected the Fox News article was referencing a conflict where law enforcement pushed the protestors into a corner so they couldn’t escape. Then, they provoked them with pepper spray and tear gas so it made it seem like there was a riot. Also, at one point, there was a 24/7 live camera feed broadcast by a local Portland news station.
Q: How did these unconventional protest tactics come about?
A: To quote my uncle, “That’s just Portland.” Not only is it “just Portland”, but protesting by dancing in inflatable animal costumes, singing, knitting, and etc., is a smart way to prove that the protests are not how they are sometimes portrayed in the media. It would be hard to say that a bunch of inflatable frogs or knitting grandmothers are menacing agitators. Of course, there were some arrests and conflicts, but nothing that would require federal intervention. My aunt says she is proud of Portland for not letting the narrative get flipped on her city.
Q: What about the No Kings protests there? And how impactful do you think they were?
A: My aunt attended the protests, and she described it as purely “joyful”. She said more than 40,000 people of all ages attended, wearing inflatable animal costumes, blowing bubbles, flying balloons, and having dance parties. It was joyful, but with a serious intention. She said that there is a benefit in having the solidarity of 7 million others who feel the same way you do. She hopes these protests put pressure on politicians or voters who are on the fence about, or turn a blind eye to certain Trump administration’s policies.
So, even though Portland is thousands of miles away from Breck, I think it has taught the importance of standing up for what you believe, in whatever way suits you. It doesn’t have to be as eccentric as dressing up in inflatable costumes, but it can be something simple and private. My aunt and uncles’ stories highlight how not everything that politicians and/or the media says is always true, and it is always important to do your own research. Finally, as noted previously, the Oregon National Guard was approved for deployment in Portland, so it will be interesting to see if any action will be taken in the coming weeks.
