Federal officials confirmed that two people were shot Thursday afternoon by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents during an immigration enforcement operation in Portland, marking the second shooting involving federal immigration authorities in as many days and intensifying national scrutiny of the Trump administration’s expanded enforcement strategy. According to law enforcement sources, the individuals shot were a 33-year-old Spanish-speaking man and his wife, both Portland residents. Officers say the couple was inside a pickup truck when CBP agents attempted to carry out an arrest as part of a targeted immigration operation. Local media outlet KOMO reported that the truck “lunged toward” agents during the encounter, prompting officers to open fire. Federal officials have characterized the shooting as a response to an imminent threat to officer safety, a claim that is now under investigation by multiple agencies. The incident unfolded in a city already on edge, where tensions between federal immigration authorities, local officials, and immigrant advocacy groups have been simmering for years amid Portland’s status as a sanctuary city.
Portland Police Chief Bob Day said city officers were dispatched to the scene shortly after the shooting and encountered two individuals suffering from gunshot wounds. In a public statement, Day emphasized that Portland police were not involved in the federal operation itself but responded afterward to provide emergency assistance and secure the area. “We understand the heightened emotion and tension many are feeling in the wake of the shooting in Minneapolis,” Day said, referencing a fatal ICE-related shooting that occurred just one day earlier. “But I am asking the community to remain calm as we work to learn more.” According to local station KATU, the couple initially fled the scene in their vehicle and drove to a relative’s home, where they later sought medical treatment. Authorities confirmed Thursday evening that both individuals were alive and receiving care. Investigators are now reviewing body-camera footage, witness statements, and forensic evidence to determine whether the use of force was justified.
The Portland shooting came on the heels of a far more deadly confrontation in Minneapolis, where a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent fatally shot a 37-year-old woman, Renee Nicole Good, during an enforcement action earlier in the week. That incident sparked protests, street demonstrations, and clashes with law enforcement in Minneapolis, drawing national attention and fueling outrage among immigrant rights advocates. Federal and state authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding Good’s death, which officials say occurred after she allegedly attempted to interfere with ICE agents and posed a threat to officer safety. The close timing of the two incidents has amplified concerns that an aggressive expansion of immigration enforcement operations is increasing the likelihood of violent encounters, particularly in sanctuary cities where community resistance to federal agents is strong and well organized.
Portland Mayor Keith Wilson strongly condemned Thursday’s shooting, calling it unacceptable and demanding an immediate halt to federal immigration operations within city limits. In a sharply worded statement, Wilson accused the federal government of eroding constitutional protections and escalating violence through what he described as militarized enforcement tactics. “We cannot sit by while constitutional protections erode and bloodshed mounts,” Wilson said. “Portland is not a training ground for militarized agents, and the ‘full force’ threatened by the administration has deadly consequences.” Wilson’s remarks echo long-standing tensions between Portland city leadership and federal authorities, dating back to clashes over immigration enforcement, protest policing, and federal deployments during previous administrations. While city officials maintain that sanctuary policies are designed to build trust between law enforcement and immigrant communities, federal officials argue such policies obstruct lawful enforcement and endanger officers.
The national debate intensified further after the Department of Homeland Security confirmed that Renee Nicole Good, the woman killed in Minneapolis, was affiliated with a network known as “ICE Watch,” a loosely organized coalition of activist groups that monitor and attempt to disrupt immigration enforcement operations in sanctuary cities. DHS officials say the group has been active in Minneapolis, Portland, Seattle, and other cities, often tracking ICE and CBP movements, live-streaming encounters, and alerting communities to raids in real time. According to federal sources, Good had followed ICE agents to multiple locations on the day of her death and was attempting to block a roadway when she was shot. A video released by authorities shows an agent attempting to open Good’s car door before the vehicle accelerates, after which another officer fires several rounds at close range. DHS has described the shooting as justified, citing a “credible threat to officer safety,” though critics argue the footage raises serious questions about the proportionality and necessity of lethal force.
Vice President J.D. Vance delivered a forceful response Thursday night, sharply criticizing media coverage and activist narratives that portrayed Good as an innocent bystander. “Everybody repeating the lie that this was some innocent woman out for a drive in Minnesota — you should be ashamed of yourselves,” Vance said during remarks to supporters. He referenced a prior incident in which an ICE officer was injured after being dragged by a vehicle, arguing that such experiences heighten officers’ sensitivity to perceived vehicular threats. Vance accused left-wing activist groups of employing “domestic terror techniques” to obstruct immigration enforcement and vowed that the administration would no longer tolerate what he called political interference with federal law. “These aren’t peaceful observers,” he said. “They are part of a broader left-wing network to attack, to dox, to assault, and to make it impossible for our ICE officers to do their jobs.” As investigations continue in both Minneapolis and Portland, federal officials warn that further confrontations may occur as immigration enforcement expands nationwide, setting the stage for continued legal battles, protests, and a deeply polarized national debate over immigration, public safety, and the limits of federal power.
