Portland Set to Issue Land-use Violation Notice Against Local ICE Facility
Portland, a city situated in the state of Oregon, announced on Wednesday that a land-use violation notice will be issued against the local U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building. The city has accused the facility of holding individuals in detention beyond the stipulated period that was agreed upon in the building’s land-use approval. The approval conditions, which have been in place since 2011, specify that detainees cannot be held overnight or for more than 12 hours at a time. However, the city has claimed that these terms have been infringed upon 25 times during a period spanning ten months, from the previous October to the end of July this year.
“The ICE facility made explicit pledges pertaining to detention time limits to our local community. Our belief is that these commitments have been disregarded more than twenty times,” was the statement made by Mayor Keith Wilson of Portland. He shared this information via a press release. The land-use violation notice, which is set to be issued on Thursday, will include not only these detention violations but also a secondary infraction related to windows being boarded up.
A response was awaited from ICE, as there was no immediate comment made by the agency following these allegations. Intriguingly, the contention emerges amidst ongoing nightly protests at the building. These demonstrations reached a peak in the month of June, and sporadic, smaller face-offs have occurred in the intervals since.
During daylight hours, the building attracts crowds of immigration advocates and legal advisors, all eager to assist those arriving at the premises. In contrast, when night falls, the scene changes with demonstrators often visible, garbed in black attire and often seen sporting protective gear such as helmets or masks. Despite causing disruption to the daily lives of local residents, the scale of these protests differs significantly from the sweeping racial justice demonstrations that gripped the city in 2020.
Investigations surrounding allegations against the ICE building were initiated towards the end of July. This action was prompted by the issuance of formal complaints, which led to the city’s permitting bureau taking a deeper look into the matter. The bureau subsequently examined data that had been provided by ICE to the Deportation Data Project, a nonprofit organization. This information was obtained under public records requests.
Within the investigative findings, it was discovered that the most recent instance out of the 25 reported detentions that contravened approved conditions occurred on May 20. The time frame for all the violations was between Oct. 1, 2024, and July 27 of the following year. Upon receiving a notice of violation, property owners are typically granted a 30-day grace period to rectify the issue.
If substantial evidence of a violation is found after this grace period, the city reserves the right to impose a fine. In fact, if the city’s permitting bureau believes it’s necessary, it has the authority to trigger a process known as ‘reconsideration.’ This involves scheduling a hearing at least 60 days post-notification.
The purpose of this ‘reconsideration’ hearing is to reassess the initial land-use approval. It’s worth noting that decisions reached by the hearings officer are not the final say in the matter. They can, if either party so desires, be subject to an appeal. This appeal is then addressed directly by the City Council, providing a further layer of scrutiny and ensuring a fair and balanced process.