Following a series of chaotic and violent protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Portland (OR), National ICE Council—the union that represents ICE officers—sent letters to the mayor of that city as well as U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum expressing displeasure of the mayor's actions.
The union is unhappy with Mayor Ted Wheeler's words expressing support for the protesters and his insistence that police "stand down" and allow the protests to continue unabated—even at times ignoring 911 calls from agency employees being menaced by the protests.
"Our hope is that Mr. Wheeler relinquishes his supervisory authority of the Portland Police Bureau pending the outcome of your investigation," Sean Riddell, the union's attorney, said in the letter to the state attorney general.
According to the Washington Times, the union told Attorney General Jeff Sessions in a letter that Mayor Wheeler's directives violated those employees’ civil rights, leaving them without protections he is required to provide.
Wheeler responded on Twitter that he was being targeted over his political stance on immigration issues.
"Make no mistake. They are coming after me because I am a vocal opponent of the administration’s policy of separating kids from their parents," he said in a Tweet.
