Portland Mayor Keith Wilson rejected President Donald Trump’s offer to deploy federal troops to the Oregon city, even as nightly protests outside a federal immigration facility continue to disrupt residents and businesses.
“Like other mayors across the country, I have not asked for – and do not need – federal intervention,” Wilson said in a statement after Trump suggested sending the National Guard to Portland last week, The Associated Press (AP) reported.
The mayor’s refusal comes despite ongoing demonstrations at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building that have resulted in at least 26 people facing federal charges since June, including assaulting federal officers, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Oregon said. The Cottonwood School of Civics and Science relocated this summer, citing safety concerns from chemical agents and crowd-control projectiles. The school was adjacent to the ICE facility, the outlet reported.
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