Oregon AG Issues Warning to Federal Agents: Rein In Tactics or Face State Prosecution

Portland, Ore. – November 29, 2025  In a escalating clash between state and federal authorities, Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, a Democrat, has delivered a pointed ultimatum to the U.S. Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security: curb what the state describes as "reckless and unlawful" tactics by federal immigration agents, or risk criminal prosecution under Oregon law. The warning, issued in a joint letter on November 25 alongside district attorneys from Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas counties, has ignited fresh tensions amid President Donald Trump's aggressive push to enforce immigration laws in sanctuary-leaning jurisdictions like Portland.

The letter, addressed to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, accuses federal officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol of a six-month pattern of excessive force. Specific grievances include the deployment of tear gas, pepper balls, and nonlethal munitions during protests outside the Portland ICE facility—actions that allegedly struck local law enforcement, including Portland Police Bureau and Oregon State Police officers, and endangered bystanders. "Federal officers must adhere not only to federal standards but also to Oregon's laws on the use of force," the letter states, emphasizing that any actions deemed "beyond the reasonable scope of their duties" could lead to arrests and charges.

Rayfield's office highlighted several high-profile incidents fueling the standoff. In October, federal agents reportedly confronted a group of teenagers at gunpoint at a Dutch Bros Coffee in Hillsboro, with one account describing 10 masked officers and a law enforcement dog detaining the youths over a perceived traffic stop. Another episode in Yamhill County involved agents shattering a car window to arrest a 17-year-old U.S. citizen accused of obstructing officers, an action DHS defended as necessary after the teen and another driver tailed agents in vehicles. Protests at the South Portland ICE facility have also drawn scrutiny, with sworn testimony from a recent federal trial—State of Oregon v. Donald Trump—revealing instances where agents used munitions on nonviolent demonstrators without adequate warnings, violating state protocols for crowd control.

The backdrop is a surge in federal immigration enforcement under the Trump administration, which has targeted "liberal" cities resisting cooperation. Immigrants' rights groups report a 550% spike in hotline calls about ICE stops in Portland's suburbs, with over 560 arrests logged in October alone. Yet federal officials counter that agents are simply upholding the law amid rising assaults on officers—since June, the U.S. Attorney's Office has charged 40 individuals with federal crimes near ICE sites, including violent threats. In a stark example, Portland resident John Paul Cupp, 45, was indicted this week for yelling death threats against agents and their families during an October 14 demonstration outside the facility.

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin pushed back forcefully, calling the state's threats "misguided" and affirming that agents acted appropriately in the Yamhill incident to counter obstruction. "Protecting our personnel from interference is non-negotiable," McLaughlin said in a statement. The Justice Department has long maintained that attempts to prosecute federal officers for duty-related actions are "illegal and futile," citing 19th-century precedents granting broad immunity.

Oregon's move echoes similar Democratic-led efforts in places like San Francisco and Illinois, where officials have vowed to hold federal agents accountable under local statutes. But critics, including local police, warn of practical roadblocks: Portland Police Bureau commanders have testified that federal supremacy limits state intervention, potentially turning routine operations into constitutional battlegrounds. Multnomah County DA Nathan Vasquez, a signatory, stressed the letter's demands—halting unlawful tactics, enhancing training, coordinating with locals, and cooperating with investigations—as a bid for de-escalation, not confrontation.

As winter sets in, Portland's streets remain a flashpoint. Anti-ICE rallies continue, drawing crowds of up to 100, while federal reinforcements guard the facility amid threats of National Guard deployment—a plan a federal court blocked last month. Rayfield's office has not specified timelines for potential arrests but reiterated its commitment to "protecting Oregonians from excessive force." 17GEN4