July 24, 2020

Lawmakers question DHS crackdown tactics in protest cities

Source: Roll Call

Journalist: Camila DeChalus

The military tactics utilized by Homeland Security officers to control protesters in Portland, Oregon, and other cities are being decried by congressional lawmakers and investigated by federal watchdogs.

But some legal experts who have long tracked how the department fulfills its immigration policies say the tactics shouldn’t come as a surprise. They also said some of the moves may be perfectly legal.

The most recent controversy over federally deployed tactical officers started after DHS responded to Portland protests over police brutality by sending agents from Customs and Border Protection, Border Patrol Tactical Unit, Federal Protective Service, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. They joined agents on the ground from the Justice Department’s U.S. Marshals Service.

Read the full story and more from Roll Call.

Author

  • Carrie Cordero

    Robert M. Gates Senior Fellow

    Carrie Cordero is the Robert M. Gates Senior Fellow and General Counsel at CNAS. Her research and writing interests focus on homeland security and intelligence community overs...