*WEB CONTINUATION: This article originally appeared in Volume 106 Issue 1 of our news magazine, Amplifier.

Protesters in Portland have been consistently demonstrating outside of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility since early June of this year, the presence of protesters has been consistent since then, according to KATU news.

They are protesting against the presence of ICE officers in the city, and believe they have acted unlawfully or unethically, according to one protester present outside the facility on Oct. 18. 

“In an extremely limited capacity, they’re doing what they’re supposed to do, but they’re no longer doing what they’re supposed to do here,” an anonymous protester said. “They’ve gone completely off the wall, and it has become just a rogue agency that’s attacking both citizens, legal residents, as well as everyday people who are just trying to have a better life that are in the middle of becoming citizens.” 

Oct. 18 was also the day of the national “No Kings” protest. “No Kings” is a movement that, according to their website, is against authoritarianism. On the website there is also an explicit emphasis on nonviolent demonstration, with guides on how to de-escalate potential conflicts.

The protests outside the ICE facility in Portland are not explicitly with the “No Kings” movement, but on Oct. 18, many protesters held “No Kings” signs or wore yellow “No Kings” shirts supporting this cause. 

There have also been protests on the West Linn High School campus. On Oct. 21, students participated in a walkout to protest against ICE. Riverside High School and Wilsonville High School also had protests on their respective campuses that day. 

This occurred after an unmarked van with two ICE agents inside was found on the shared campus of Inza R. Wood Middle School and Boones Ferry Primary School. The agents were parked on campus in the schools’ parking lot and did not initially identify themselves.

Around 150 students at the walkout held signs, chanted, and walked across campus as well as off campus down the street towards Market of Choice. Aisha Owen, sophomore, was one of the protestors. 

“I think it was amazing. There were a lot of strong emotions felt [during the protest], and to have people there [supporting us], the people driving by, some are very happy. And once they honked, we got a huge reaction, everyone just erupts in cheers,” Owen said. “It kind of went along with the same for people who were passing by, who were flipping us off, or yelling at us, or just shaking their head at [the protest]. It really encouraged everyone. Although I know there were some people who were very upset with it, I also kind of give them credit for making it such a big walkout, because they really helped raise our voices.” It should be noted that honking usually means support of protesters. 

Along with students protesting against ICE, there were also student counter-protesters. Although this group was smaller, they waved Trump flags and also walked around campus. 

“Even though they were there just to make us quiet, it really helped make our voices louder. And I thank them for that. I think it’s nice that they are trying to voice their beliefs too, but we showed up and managed to be louder. And I’m really proud of everyone who was there,” Owen said. 

Henry Kruger, senior, was one such counter-protester on Oct. 21. 

“I personally decided to participate [on the counter protests] because I believe in being actively involved in the causes and values that matter to me, and I believe that civic engagement is one of the most important things a U.S citizen can do. There is good and bad in every organization, but I strongly support getting disruptive, hurtful people in our society out, which ICE has been very effective at recently,” Kruger said. “I feel like [the ICE protests in Portland] are an embarrassment to our entire country. I’ve seen it firsthand, these aren’t people there to make a change, they are there to take part in violent activities and spread anger throughout our communities. It is going to be up to us, as students and the future of our nation, to make change, and to continue having a voice in our politics.”

Protests outside of Portland’s ICE facility have spurred President Donald Trump to order the National Guard to Portland after Trump claimed Portland Police refused to enforce Federal Law; Under the guise that the Portland Police Department has not done enough to protect federal agents. Although this order was initially blocked by a judge, the Ninth Circuit appeals court has ruled that federal troops can be deployed to Portland, according to KGW News. But this may have only dissolved one of the restraining orders on the National Guard, not both. It is still unclear if the National Guard has needed to come to Portland. Oregon Governor Tina Kotek has disagreed, in a public press release, arguing that the National Guard was unneeded in Portland.

Many people have objected to the National Guard deployment in Portland, such as another anonymous protester present outside the facility on Oct. 18. 

“I would say that we are exhibiting our right to peacefully protest. Nothing we’re doing here is violent, and I think that that’s a bunch of BS because we’re here. We have a right to speak out. We have a right to say we’re unhappy with the way that we’re being treated, and we should be able to exhibit that right however we please, as long as it’s peaceful, which it is clearly so,” the protester said. 

There have been arrests of protesters outside of the ICE facility, and chemical crowd control measures like tear gas have been used against them. The majority of protests have been small and non-violent, with some dressing up in inflatable animal costumes and playing music, according to the Guardian. 

The night of Oct. 18, there were hundreds of protesters outside of the ICE facility, much more than usual. Federal agents arrested several people and openly tear-gassed the crowd of hundreds without a clear reason, after the protest had been completely peaceful for most of the day, according to The Oregonian. All situations are currently ongoing.