On Wednesday, after Department of Homeland Security acting Secretary Chad Wolf announced a plan to reduce the presence of federal agents in Portland, Oregon, Governor Kate Brown celebrated, tweeting that “the federal government has agreed to withdraw federal officers from Portland … Starting tomorrow, all Customs and Border Protection & ICE officers will leave downtown Portland.”
After my discussions with VP Pence and others, the federal government has agreed to withdraw federal officers from Portland. They have acted as an occupying force & brought violence. Starting tomorrow, all Customs and Border Protection & ICE officers will leave downtown Portland.
— Governor Kate Brown (@OregonGovBrown) July 29, 2020
Wolf, noting Brown’s oversimplification of the issue, issued a tweet an hour later clarifying what was truly happening, writing, “As I told the Governor yesterday, federal law enforcement will remain in Portland until the violent activity toward our federal facilities ends. We are not removing any law enforcement while our facilities and law enforcement remain under attack.”
As I told the Governor yesterday, federal law enforcement will remain in Portland until the violent activity toward our federal facilities ends. We are not removing any law enforcement while our facilities and law enforcement remain under attack.
— Acting Secretary Chad Wolf (@DHS_Wolf) July 29, 2020
Wolf added, “@Potus made clear this Administration is ready and willing to partner with state & local law enforcement to protect every American — and you see that commitment in Portland with this plan. @DHSgov will not back down from our legal duty to protect law enforcement officers and federal properties in the face of criminal behavior.”
.@POTUS made clear that this Administration is ready and willing to partner with state & local law enforcement to protect every American – and you see that commitment in Portland with this plan.
— Acting Secretary Chad Wolf (@DHS_Wolf) July 29, 2020
He added one last zinger directed at Oregon state authorities: “The state of Oregon is finally agreeing to cooperate with our federal forces–exactly what we asked for since the nightly violence broke out two months ago. We’re glad Oregon is now correcting their months long error.”
The state of Oregon is finally agreeing to cooperate with our federal forces–exactly what we asked for since the nightly violence broke out two months ago.
We're glad Oregon is now correcting their months long error.
— Acting Secretary Chad Wolf (@DHS_Wolf) July 29, 2020
Earlier Wednesday, as The Daily Wire reported, Wolf released his plan, which stated that it included a “robust presence of Oregon State Police” in downtown Portland and demanded that state and local authorities — including Portland police officers who have so far been prevented from actively engaging rioters — secure “properties and streets” surrounding the Mark O. Hatfield courthouse and other federal properties that have been “under nightly attack for the past two months.”
“The agreement allows for federal agents from the Federal Protection Service to oversee efforts at securing the courthouse prior to handoff to local authorities and gives the Department of Homeland Security the right to change their ‘force posture’ if and only if state and local authorities are able to sufficiently protect federal property,” The Daily Wire noted.
— Acting Secretary Chad Wolf (@DHS_Wolf) July 29, 2020
Brown has targeted President Trump before. In April 2018, when Trump announced plans to send U.S. National Guard troops to assist U.S. Border Patrol units at the United States’ southern border if they were overwhelmed by illegal immigrants, Brown huffed that as commander of her state’s National Guard unit, she would refuse to implement Trump’s order, tweeting, “I’ll say no. As Commander of Oregon’s Guard, I’m deeply troubled by Trump’s plan to militarize our border.”
If @realDonaldTrump asks me to deploy Oregon Guard troops to the Mexico border, I’ll say no. As Commander of Oregon’s Guard, I’m deeply troubled by Trump’s plan to militarize our border.
— Governor Kate Brown (@OregonGovBrown) April 4, 2018
“She later acknowledged that the Trump White House had not contacted her to ask her to mobilize Oregon’s troops, and that her declaration was largely preemptive,” The Daily Wire noted.
In June 2018, Brown added, “In April, I made it clear that the Oregon National Guard would not be used for political purposes along the border, or to distract from the chaos and confusion of the Trump Administration.“