A protester stands in the rain at a rally at Elizabeth Caruthers Park in Portland, Ore. on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025. A crowd of about 100 people marched from the park to the Immigration Customs and Enforcement building in the afternoon.
Saskia Hatvany / OPB
On a windy, rainy Saturday afternoon, a crowd of roughly 100 people gathered once again at a park in Portland’s South Waterfront neighborhood to march to the nearby building that houses the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office.
The rally was held to “demand the revoking of ICE’s permit to operate out of the facility” in the largely residential neighborhood, according to protest organizers.
The ICE facility has been a focal point of months of largely low-key protests against the Trump administration’s immigration policies. That attention was magnified late last month, when President Donald Trump announced plans to deploy the Oregon National Guard in Portland to defend the ICE facility from protesters.
“We have no choice, we have no fear,” chanted protesters huddling under pop-up tents and umbrellas. “ICE is not welcome here.”
Protesters braved an atmospheric river in their march to the ICE detention facility blocks from the park. Soon after the crowds arrived at the facility, federal law enforcement formed a barrier to allow vehicles inside.
Katelyn Cain briefly unzipped her unicorn costume to put on a rain jacket underneath. She said the torrential downpour would not stop her from showing up to the facility.
“Our comfort means less than telling the feds and this administration we’re furious,” Cain said.
Jennifer Xiong dances in the street with the Bailando Afuera dancing group at the Immigration Customs and Enforcement building in Portland, Ore. on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025. A crowd of about 100 gathered in front of the building to protest that afternoon.
Saskia Hatvany / OPB
Local dance group Bailando Afuera was on the scene as well, performing a variety of cumbia, merengue and other Latin American dances, with many dancers getting soaked.
Around 4 p.m., the crowd had largely dissipated as the rain continued to fall.
Last month, the city accused the owner of the building housing the ICE facility, Stuart Lindquist, of violating a land use agreement with the city. That 2011 zoning agreement prohibited ICE from using the facility to hold detainees longer than 12 hours or overnight, a rule that the city says ICE broke at least 25 times in the past year.
Related: Owner of Portland ICE building accuses city of ‘retaliatory’ land use ruling
Under Portland’s land use rules, Lindquist has a month to fix the issue, but that date has since passed. This puts him at risk of a monthly fine of nearly $950, which could be doubled after three months if ICE doesn’t change its detention practices. The city has yet to impose this fine.
Lindquist has challenged this ruling through his attorneys, requesting what’s called an administrative review from the city’s permitting department. That meeting is expected to take place in early November.
Meanwhile on Friday, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals stayed an earlier order issued Monday by a panel of three judges within the circuit. According to the court, it is necessary to allow a broader swathe of appeals judges to decide whether to rehear the matter. The newly issued hold lasts until 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 28.
It was the latest in a flurry of legal action in the fight over whether President Donald Trump can deploy National Guard troops to protect the ICE facility in Portland.
Related: Federal appeals court temporarily bars Portland troop deployment
Earlier on Friday morning U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut held a hearing on whether to dissolve a temporary restraining order barring troops from being sent to Portland.
Immergut is set to hold a three-day trial on the lawsuit against the troop deployment altogether. In those proceedings, set to start Oct. 29, she’ll be looking at the merits of the case.
Specifically, she’ll hear testimony about whether the Trump administration violated state sovereignty, and if the president has the authority to call up the guard under these circumstances.
