Portland issues land-use violation notice against ICE facility amid protests
City asserts the Macadam Avenue ICE building violated a 2011 permit, and cites a second violation for boarded-up windows as the review proceeds
Portland on Thursday issued a land-use violation notice to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility on Macadam Avenue, launching a formal review of whether the building complies with its 2011 land-use permit, which bars overnight detention or detention beyond 12 hours. The notice follows a report by the Deportation Data Project, a local nonprofit, alleging the facility detained people longer than allowed at least 25 times between Oct. 1 and July 27. The Deportation Data Project’s findings were based on ICE documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act.
The city said it will also issue a second violation related to boarded-up windows at the site, a condition not tied to the land-use approval. Under the city’s process, a landowner or operator has 30 days after receipt of a violation notice to correct the issue; if substantial evidence exists, a fine can be issued and the city can begin a process to reconsider the land-use approval with a hearing at least 60 days after the notice. The city said it conducted a thorough review and referred the matter to the next steps in the land-use violation process.
The facility is leased and managed by the General Services Administration for federal agencies tied to ICE. It includes a processing center where officers detain and interview people to determine their immigration status. The site has become a major flashpoint in the broader immigration debate, drawing anti-ICE protests that have at times turned violent and resulted in clashes with federal agents since June. Graffiti has appeared on the exterior, and in one instance last month protesters tried to block law enforcement vehicles, prompting a dispersal with munitions.
Portland’s sanctuary policies limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement at the municipal level, and Oregon’s sanctuary law largely bars local cooperation without a warrant. In July the city council said it was exploring ways to expel ICE from the detention site, a stance that has fueled days of demonstrations and legal questions about the facility’s place in the city. Mayor Keith Wilson has reiterated the city’s sanctuary posture amid the protests, while officials have emphasized noncooperation with federal authorities on immigration enforcement.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. ICE did not respond to requests for comment.
