News and Commentary

More Information, Photos Emerge Of ‘Elite’ Unit Deployed To Portland To Stop ‘Violent Extremists’

   DailyWire.com
PORTLAND, OR - JULY 17: Federal officers prepare to disperse the crowd of protestors outside the Multnomah County Justice Center on July 17, 2020 in Portland, Oregon. Federal law enforcement agencies attempt to intervene as protests continue in Portland.
Mason Trinca/Getty Images

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently deployed an elite unit of law enforcement operators to Portland this week under President Donald Trump’s Executive Order on Protecting American Monuments, Memorials, and Statues and Combating Recent Criminal Violence.

The New York Times confirmed an earlier report that identified the Border Patrol Tactical Unit, or BORTAC, as the unit that was deployed to Portland as the city has been rocked by approximately 48 consecutive days of riots. Reuters reported that in addition to BORTAC, “Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers are helping DHS’s Federal Protective Service, which provides security for federal buildings.”

Reuters added, “A U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) spokeswoman said on Friday agents had been deployed to Portland to support a newly launched U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) unit, tasked with enforcing last month’s executive order from Republican President Donald Trump to protect federal monuments and buildings.”

The CBP spokeswoman also addressed a video that went viral online that showed the federal agents taking a suspect away in an unmarked vehicle.

“The CBP spokeswoman said the agency had information that person was suspected of assaults against federal agents or destruction of federal property and ‘a large and violent mob’ moved toward the agents once they approached the suspect,” Reuters added. “‘For everyone’s safety, CBP agents quickly moved the suspect to a safer location for further questioning,’ the spokeswoman said. She said agents wore a CBP insignia during the encounter, but that their names were not displayed to protect them against retribution.”

The New York Times previously described BORTAC as an “elite tactical unit” that operates in a similar fashion as a SWAT team for the Border Patrol.

“With additional gear such as stun grenades and enhanced Special Forces-type training, including sniper certification, the officers typically conduct high-risk operations targeting individuals who are known to be violent, many of them with extensive criminal records,” The New York Times reported. “The unit’s work often takes place in the most rugged and swelteringly hot areas of the border. It can involve breaking into stash houses maintained by smuggling operations that are known to be filled with drugs and weapons.”

Acting Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Chad Wolf released photos of some of the BORTAC agents, as well as agents from other departments that were deployed to the city.

“Our men and women in uniform are patriots. We will never surrender to violent extremists on my watch,” Wolf wrote. “These valiant men and women have defended our institutions of justice against violent anarchists for 48 straight days. We will prevail.”

According to DHS, “The unit was created in 1984 to serve a civil disturbance function in response to rioting at legacy Immigration and Naturalization Service detention facilities. It quickly evolved and acquired additional skill sets in high-risk warrant service; intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance; foreign law enforcement / Border Patrol capacity building; airmobile operations; maritime operations; and precision marks- man/observer.”

“BORTAC is unique in that it provides a global response capability,” DHS added. “The unit has conducted training and operations with foreign and domestic law enforcement and military entities throughout the United States and around the world, including support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.”

Got a tip worth investigating?

Your information could be the missing piece to an important story. Submit your tip today and make a difference.

Submit Tip
The Daily Wire   >  Read   >  More Information, Photos Emerge Of ‘Elite’ Unit Deployed To Portland To Stop ‘Violent Extremists’