Portland protesters have been using creative methods to demonstrate outside the ICE facility, including inflatable costumes, dance parties, roller skating, and most recently, Mateo Garcia arriving on horseback with his horse Canello to peacefully protest immigration policies under the Trump Administration. Garcia, whose parents are immigrants, aims to show strong support for immigrant communities and plans to organize more horseback protests with friends. This unique form of protest follows a large “No Kings” rally in downtown Portland, where about 40,000 people marched.

The protests have intensified amid the federal deployment of National Guard troops to Oregon, leading to confrontations where federal agents used tear gas, pepper spray, and rubber bullets against demonstrators, resulting in several arrests by Portland police. Despite a temporary restraining order blocking the deployment of these troops, tensions remain high, and protests continue to draw significant attention both locally and globally.