On June 28th, nine people were arrested for protesting the separation of migrant children at the Southwest Portland’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) headquarters.

As the Trump administration continues its anti-immigration policies, from the zero-tolerance policy at the border to the Muslim ban, protests are occurring nationwide at state houses and ICE facilities.

The Occupy ICE PDX protest at Portland started on June 17th to condemn the separation of migrant children at the U.S.-Mexico border. In response, the federal ICE facility was closed. As protestors blocked the entry, federal authorities cleared the blockade and arrested at least nine protestors and charged all of them but one.

The detained protesters were served misdemeanor charges. They will be in federal court on Sept. 7th.

The group has consistently called for the ICE facility to shut down permanently. They have been engaging in nonviolent actions to protest the facility. The group also stated, “We know that the world is watching, and we are holding strong.”

A protestor named Jean shared, “It’s a matter of patriotic duty to be here and resist the evil that is ICE. A police state is not what they served their country for.”

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler said in a statement,”The City of Portland does not enforce federal immigration law… and I have been clear that Portland will not be used to break up a nonviolent occupation on federal property of a federal agency that has its own police force.”