FILE - Federal law enforcement agents stand in front of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Portland, Ore., on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025.
Saskia Hatvany / OPB
A large protest, dubbed “Labor Against ICE,” is expected to start near the Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Portland on Saturday.
At least 30 unions endorsed the protest and planned to attend in some fashion. Organizers told OPB it’s a level of union turnout not seen for many years in Portland.
“Something like this — where it isn’t because a union is out on strike, but rather workers speaking up — is not quite that common,” said Tyler Fellini, executive director of Portland Jobs for Justice.
Fellini said that’s due to the recent general strike by labor unions in Minnesota, which has captured the nation’s attention in response to a large influx of federal agents in that state.
Federal agents shot and killed Minneapolis nurse Alex Pretti on Jan. 24, igniting a new wave of protests against the presence of ICE in Minnesota. Pretti was also a union member, prompting the president of the Minnesota AFL-CIO to call on ICE to leave the state.
“It has really kind of put a bit of urgency for labor to start showing up,” Fellini said. “I know that a lot of us want to.”
Friday’s General Strike called on all Americans to refrain from going to work or shopping, while encouraging businesses to close their doors for the day. Many Oregon businesses opted to stay open and donate a portion of their proceeds to causes supporting immigrants’ rights.
It’s unclear just how many people will show up to Saturday’s demonstration, but multiple unions told OPB there has been significant interest from their members. There are plans for separate demonstrations to join, as well.
Melissa Unger, executive director of SEIU Local 503, said many of their members have started carrying their passports on the job. No matter their citizenship status, many are fearful about potentially interacting with immigration agents, she said.
“I’ve heard from workers who have said, ‘The only time I ever leave my house is for my job,’” Unger said. “The fear is across the board, because it doesn’t feel like there’s rhyme or reason to how ICE is choosing to approach people or detain people.”
Meg Ward, president of CWA Local 7901, said there are still concerns that the federal government could launch an operation in Oregon on a similar level to what’s occurring in Minnesota. She said the protest could be a training ground for how labor unions in Oregon respond.
“This hasn’t happened before, and I think that there’s going to be more and more tests like this in our future here,” Ward said. “And we have to build upon it.”
Saturday’s protest is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. at Elizabeth Caruthers Park. The group will march to the nearby ICE building, then circle back to the park.
