(PORTLAND)--The Portland City Council meeting on January 28, 2026, was again marked by intense public criticism over the ICE situation.
Portland City Council Jan.28
“Public commenters overwhelmingly condemned ICE's aggressive tactics, urging the council to revoke permits and take decisive action,” OpGov.ai reports.
Resident David Pearl criticized the mayor and city council for treating ICE's actions as 'business as usual.' He called for revoking the ICE permit, urged Mayor Keith Wilson to step up, have town halls, and fight the 'regime.' He cited the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti as a call to action.
Resident David Pearl
Pearl also expressed frustration over the recent elections taking time away from important issues affecting Portlanders.
“Instead of fighting for your community, you have devoted more time to bickering and quarreling over who will be the leader of your chamber. Ironic, as not a single one of you has actually shown
what it takes to lead,” Pearl said.
Portland resident and educator, Sage Joyce took unpaid time off from her work to address the council.
“I am an early childhood educator here in Portland, and I have taken unpaid time off work this morning to urge you to pursue the legal avenues that have been presented to you time and time again by your constituents, the people whose constitutional rights you have sworn under oath to protect. To revoke the conditional use permit for the Macadam ICE facility,” Joyce said.
“Joyce warned that ICE would commit similar atrocities in Portland and urged the council to revoke the conditional use permit for the McAdam ICE facility,” OpGov.ai said.
Joyce said she appreciated a letter from Councilors Mitch Green and Angelita Morillo to Mayor Keith Wilson asking for action, but she deemed it was not enough.
Councilors Morillo and Green wrote a letter to Maor Wilson in response to chemical munitions being used against protestors. They ask for a faster response.
ICE Letter, Comments
The councilors wrote that they recognized that it takes time to establish administrative rules in this situation but went on to impress upon the mayor the need to take swift action.
“We believe there are concrete, immediate steps that you can take today to show Portlanders that we will not tolerate the teargassing of our neighborhoods in violation of our local laws,” the councilors wrote.
Anonymous Photo on NextDoor
OpGov.ai has covered the ICE facility over the past months.
The above photo was shared with me on Nextdoor in Nov. 2025 in response to an article covering the handling of protestors by the city.
The contributor asked to be left anonymous.
OpGov.ai will continue to report on the Portland ICE facility and the Portland City Council.
If you would like to comment on or add to this report, please email me at rory.h@lead4earth.org.
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