Portland protests: CBP behind 'legal' arrests, but Internet says 'Hitler's Brownshirts started as Border Patrol'
Federal agents in unmarked vehicles have been reportedly detaining protestors off the streets in downtown Portland since July 14. On July 16, a video showing officers snatching individuals without explanation and driving off surfaced on social media, along with some testimonial posts. Now, an internal memo obtained by The Nation, the US's oldest weekly magazine covering progressive political and cultural news, revealed that the officers were camouflaged federal agents from Border Patrol. While social media was abuzz with speculation about the intentions of these officials and their identities, some details in the memo raised significant questions about the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) being responsible for the arrests.
The memo, titled 'Public Affairs Guidance: CBP Support to protect Federal Facilities and Property' elaborated that a special task force was created by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Its aim was to carry out President Trump's 'Executive Order on protecting American Monuments, Memorials and Statues, and Combating Recent Criminal Violence. The 'For Official Use' marked memo, dated July 1, said this new task force, 'Protecting American Communities Tas Force' or PACT has been ordered to assess the civil unrest, and 'surge' resources to combat and protect against it.
Oregon Public Broadcasting first reported that Mark Pettibone, a Portland demonstrator had been arrested, and this was closely followed by several similar arrests by officers from the Border Patrol Tactical Unit or BORTAC (the CBP's equivalent of a SWAT team) and the US Marshals Special Ops. When approached by The Nation, a CBP spokesperson said in the affirmative that CBP agents were indeed responsible for the arrests, referring to authorities under PACT. Most people aware of these arrests had been criticizing its lawless nature and had even gone as far as sparking conspiracy theories about them. However, according to the current and former federal law enforcement officials interviewed by The Nation, these arrests are likely legal.
Rankled Twitter users took to their platforms to slam the Border Patrol and law enforcement for carrying out the unlawful detainment. "It’s important to remember that the heads of both DHS and the Border Patrol are “acting” officials, which means neither of them were subject to congressional confirmation," a user wrote in a tweet. "These Feds are a coalition of nonlocal federal employees including the fucking BORDER PATROL -the dunces of the police caste. They're Trump's occupying force and they're here to hurt people. Please, America. Tell our story. Portland is just the first town against the wall," said another. "Primer for non-borderlanders about @CBP (Border Patrol) agents: they're the guys who were too fat for the Army, too stupid to be a cop, and too bigoted to be a security guard," a third said.
"The 'border patrol' is synonymous with 'terrorist organization'," a user expressed over a tweet. "I do not understand how They’re just letting border patrol agents playing dress up arrest whoever they so choose. How is this not the only thing we’re doing allying about?" added another. One user went as far as to draw comparisons between the CBP agents and Hitler's Sturmabteilung insignia: "Once again, I'd [like] to remind everyone that Hitler's Brownshirts also started as Border Patrol. #Portland." Another user quipped, "why is border patrol arresting citizens in portland? don’t they need to be at the border guarding us from caravans and the dreaded ms-13?"