Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Mark Morgan attributed the deteriorating cooperation between law enforcement to Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler's decision to reject the DHS's (the Department of Homeland Security) offer. Moreover, Morgan accused the city council of making a "deadly" decision to bar police assistance.
Morgan made these remarks In an interview with Fox News. Portland has been facing violence and attacks on federal property for weeks, which Morgan claims is a valid justification for his agents to visit the city. Resisting this offer, Mayor Ted Wheeler has joined these protests claiming that the federal government is violating the Constitution by adopting un-American tactics.
Wheeler tweeted he is not willing to meet with the DHS leadership when they visited Portland, adding that he would refuse to meet with them even if they asked. In an exclusive interview with Fox News earlier this week, Morgan said Wheeler wasn't acting as a leader, but like a 10-year-old.
Morgan's comments were in line with the ongoing tension between liberal jurisdictions such as Portland and an administration that claims it takes necessary measures to ensure law and order. Wheeler, on Friday, said DHS is doing a federal occupation that must end.
Morgan, on the other hand, claims his agents are the only reason why the city's federal courthouse is still not completely destroyed. As soon as they remove their presence from that building, Morgan says, the city would witness the courthouse burning to the ground at the hands of the criminals.
Moreover, he said the situation is Portland could be put to an end overnight, provided the city lets its own police officers, the Portland Police Department do their jobs. Noting that's highly unlikely to happen, Morgan said it is not about the political talking points, but about law and order.
He said this is about the criminals that are damaging a federal facility and continue to try and burn it to the ground. Aside from that, Morgan pointed out that these criminals have attacked federal agents on several occasions. Portland official looks at this as a case of excessive government authority.
Portland's city council collaborated with the mayor in rebuffing cooperation with federal law enforcement. City Commissioner Chloe Eudaly said the Trump administration is violating the constitutional rights of Portlanders, and trying to use Portland as a proving ground for fascism.
Eudaly said their plan involves invading cities across the United States, especially cities that are Donald Trump's political targets.