Bonamici, Wyden, Merkley Demand Investigation into ICE Tire Slashing Incident

Bonamici, Wyden, Merkley Demand Investigation into ICE Tire Slashing Incident November 2, 2026 WASHINGTON, DC [11/2/26] – Today Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) and Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley demanded an investigation into Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents for slashing a couple’s tires in Hillsboro. The couple was observing and recording ICE agents in a supermarket parking lot on October 7, 2026, before multiple masked ICE agents in three vehicles tailed the couple, boxed them in, and repeatedly stabbed and slashed their tires before driving away. A video of the incident can be viewed here . “ICE agents cannot act with impunity,” the lawmakers wrote. “The First Amendment protects the right to observe, gather information, and record law enforcement officers performing their duties in public. These constitutional protections are necessary for the public to learn about and freely debate the government’s actions, including potential misconduct, and demand accountability when necessary.” The lawmakers noted that there have been many documented cases of excessive use of force and intimidation tactics against peaceful community members and legal observers by ICE in Oregon and across the country. They called for the Inspector General for the Department of Homeland Security to immediately investigate the Oct. 7 incident in Hillsboro, identify the agents involved, and preserve all evidence, so that those responsible may be disciplined. “Without videos from bystanders, observers, journalists, and protestors, the public would never know the full scale of federal retaliation against those who seek to document ICE activity,” the lawmakers wrote. Bonamici, Wyden, Merkley, and Dexter also recently raised concerns about the lack of access to counsel for individuals detained by ICE and what appear to be new protocols for bypassing the Portland ICE facility entirely. That letter can be found here . The full letter about the Oct. 7 incident can be read here and below: Dear Inspector General Cuffari: We write to request an investigation into an alarming incident that occurred on October 7, 2026, in which U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents harassed, intimidated, and retaliated against a couple in Hillsboro, Oregon for engaging in First Amendment activities. The incident occurred when our constituents observed and recorded ICE agents in a supermarket parking lot. Soon thereafter, multiple masked ICE agents in three vehicles recklessly tailed the couple, boxed them in, and dangerously vandalized their vehicle by repeatedly stabbing and puncturing one of their tires before driving away.1 ICE agents cannot act with impunity. The First Amendment protects the right to observe, gather information about, and record law enforcement officers performing their duties in public.2 These constitutional protections are necessary for the public to learn about and freely debate the government’s actions, including potential misconduct, and demand accountability when necessary. Since President Trump returned to office in January 2025, federal ICE agents across the country have repeatedly failed to respect rights afforded under the Constitution, especially the First Amendment. We have seen many documented cases of excessive use of force and intimidation tactics by ICE in Oregon, including federal agents needlessly deploying tear-gas and other projectiles against peaceful community members as well as driving erratically and verbally threatening legal observers. This pattern of irresponsible and illegal behavior from federal agents is also evident across the country. For example, federal agents in Memphis, Tennessee harassed observers by swerving at them, tailing them, boxing them in, and pulling them over without reasonable suspicion; sitting outside of their homes; and assaulting and arresting them.3 In Los Angeles, federal agents fired crowd control weapons into the heads and other sensitive areas of observers, journalists, and protestors. A judge later granted an injunction against this behavior4 and found that the plaintiffs have plausibly alleged that DHS had a policy of retaliating against people who record the activities of agents.5 Most troubling, federal immigration agents killed Alex Pretti while he was peacefully recording and protesting ICE’s actions.6 Through all of this, the Trump administration has repeatedly covered up officer misconduct and obstructed investigations.7 To this day, there is no evidence that the federal government has meaningfully investigated Mr. Pretti’s killing, with his parents noting that “at every turn, they have ignored us, misled us and shielded Alex’s killers.”8 This reckless behavior and senseless violence endangers everyone across the country and does not advance ICE’s mission of enforcing immigration laws to preserve national security and public safety. Without videos from bystanders, observers, journalists, and protestors, the public would never know the ful