For months, federal officers in Portland have faced a stark reality: they’re on their own—and apparently, that’s just fine with everyone. While organized anarchists lay siege to federal facilities with weapons and riot gear, local authorities have turned their backs on their law enforcement partners, leaving them to face daily attacks without backup.

The crisis at Portland’s ICE facility represents something far more troubling than isolated protests. It’s a systematic breakdown of law and order, enabled by local officials who refuse to protect federal property and personnel, even as they demand federal agencies exhaust their resources trying to maintain security.

From ‘The Post Millennial’:

The daily 24-hour protests since early June were characterized as “unlawful” during court testimony. Both FPS witnesses testified about persistent assaults on federal officers, attacks on the ICE facility, attempted breaches, impeding vehicles, stalking federal agents to their residences, and other serious threats. The federal officials asserted that the demonstrators were “highly organized” and frequently possessed radios, riot gear, ballistic vests, helmets, and shields, as well as weapons, including firearms.

Despite this harrowing testimony from Federal Protective Service incident commanders, Trump-appointed Judge Karin Immergut—yes, Trump’s own appointee—sided with Oregon’s political leadership Sunday night, blocking the President’s deployment of National Guard troops to protect the besieged facility. Her ruling—get this—claimed the violence involved only “isolated and sporadic instances” that resulted in “no serious injuries to federal personnel.”

Portland’s Abandoned Federal Partners

The disconnect between Judge Immergut’s ruling and reality couldn’t be starker. Federal officials documented that over 100 law enforcement personnel from various agencies are currently inadequate to protect the facility after more than 90 consecutive days of unlawful demonstrations. These aren’t peaceful protesters with cardboard signs—they’re armed agitators carrying everything from improvised weapons to actual firearms who’ve stalked federal agents to their homes. Think about that: following officers home.

Portland Police Bureau’s abandonment of their federal partners emerged as particularly damning during testimony. Officers admitted (with straight faces, presumably) they repeatedly failed to police the area during critical moments, primarily due to sanctuary laws and Oregon’s restrictive use-of-force policies. While federal agents faced daily attacks, their local counterparts stood down. Some partnership, right?

When Evidence Doesn’t Matter

The state of Oregon’s position reveals hypocrisy so thick you could cut it with a riot shield. While blocking National Guard deployment, state attorneys argued the Trump administration should simply continue pulling resources from other federal agencies. They want federal protection for federal facilities—just not the kind of effective federal protection that might actually restore order. Makes perfect sense if you’re living in opposite world.

Judge Immergut’s reasoning defies basic logic. She acknowledged receiving over 750 exhibits and three days of testimony documenting the sustained assault on federal property, yet concluded the violence was predominantly “between protesters and counter-protesters.” This dismissal of sworn federal testimony shows how activist judges prioritize political narratives over actual evidence. What’s the point of a trial if testimony from federal incident commanders doesn’t matter?

The ruling leaves federal agencies in an impossible position. They cannot sustain current staffing levels indefinitely, as officials revealed that the situation is severely impacting normal immigration enforcement operations. Yet the court has blocked the only viable solution while offering no alternative except continued chaos. The judge essentially said: keep doing what isn’t working, indefinitely.

This isn’t just about Portland—though Portland’s descent into lawlessness should alarm every American. It’s about whether federal law means anything in cities where local officials choose ideology over law enforcement. When judges ignore evidence of organized attacks on federal facilities, when local police abandon their duty, and when states demand federal help while blocking federal solutions, we’re witnessing the systematic undermining of federal authority in America’s blue cities.

The question now is simple: Will any court have the courage to uphold the federal government’s basic responsibility to protect its own facilities and personnel? Or are we supposed to accept that federal property is fair game for anarchists as long as local politicians approve?

Key Takeaways

• Federal officers testified about 90+ days of organized attacks with weapons and riot gear
• Portland Police abandoned federal partners due to sanctuary laws and political pressure
• Judge dismissed sworn testimony from federal officials as merely “isolated incidents”
• Oregon demands federal protection while blocking effective federal solutions

Sources: The Post Millennial, Oregon Capital Chronicle