A tense confrontation unfolded in Oregon after an anti-ICE crowd surrounded federal agents’ vehicles and a baseball bat was used to strike one SUV, leading agents to deploy tear gas.
The incident began at about 9:30 a.m. Saturday near Lancaster Drive and Sunnyview Road in Salem. ICE agents told police that approximately 30 people were blocking them from leaving a parking lot.
Video from the scene shows a person holding a baseball bat and hitting a black federal vehicle as it slowly moved through the lot. The blow knocked off the SUV’s side-view mirror.
A woman can be heard shouting, “Get the f**k out of Salem!” as other demonstrators yelled profanities and car horns sounded nearby.
Federal agents then released tear gas to disperse the crowd and create a route for their vehicles to leave, according to information provided to police.
Soon afterward, 911 dispatchers received calls from people reporting burning eyes and breathing difficulties—symptoms commonly associated with exposure to riot-control agents.
First responders treated people at the scene, while detectives began gathering evidence and speaking with witnesses.
Footage from a separate confrontation in Salem on Friday appears to show a protester attempting to grab an ICE agent by the neck and punch him before the agent sprayed the protester.
Anti-ICE confrontations occurred in Salem, with a protester appearing to grab an agent by the neck before being sprayed with what appears to be tear gas or mace
About 30 anti-ICE demonstrators confronted federal agents and struck their vehicle as they tried to prevent the agents from leaving an Oregon parking lot
Police said officers were sent at about 9:30 a.m. to 1970 Lancaster Drive NE after ICE agents reported that a masked individual had hit the side of a black SUV with a bat. Officers arrived as agents deployed tear gas in an effort to disperse the crowd
Cars and pedestrians, some carrying Mexican flags, appeared to block the ICE agents’ path as they attempted to leave the gas station.
“Our officers respond to disturbances such as this solely to de-escalate, provide medical aid when necessary, and collect evidence so that the appropriate oversight agencies can conduct their review,” a City of Salem spokesperson told WRDW.
The confrontation also drew criticism of ICE from Democratic Congresswoman Andrea Salinas, who questioned the agents’ use of force and accused them of worsening tensions.
“I’m deeply concerned about their use of force and their impulse to escalate the situation against Oregonians,” Salinas said.
Salinas alleged that ICE agents had followed and harassed American citizens and driven recklessly, creating risks for other motorists.
She also said ICE operations had forced the closure of sections of Oregon Route 99E.
“If Trump were not using ICE to threaten and terrorize our communities, Oregonians would have been safer today, plain and simple,” Salinas said.
“It’s clear ICE is either not trained or has no desire to deescalate situations or operate safely,” she added.
Democratic US Representative Andrea Salinas of Oregon criticized the methods used by ICE after viewing footage of Saturday’s confrontation
Salem police said their response focused on de-escalating the disturbance, providing medical assistance and gathering evidence for review.
The investigation is ongoing.
The Daily Mail has reached out to ICE as well as the Salem Police Department for comment.
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Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and their conduct have been a source of contention across the country, with Democrats speaking out against how illegal immigrants are being arrested and deported.
This week, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani branded ICE ‘rotten to its core’ and demanded the agency leave the Big Apple.
It comes after massive protests erupted after an agent shot a father inside his car while his five-year-old child was in the vehicle.
Federal officers line up as crowds of locals partake in a protest at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Portland, Oregon, October 25, 2025
After a ‘No Kings’ protest taking aim at Trump’s administration policies, Border Patrol agents detain a demonstrator outside the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Facility in Portland, Oregon
Around 7 pm, demonstrators broke open the front gate of the ICE building. Federal agents and local law enforcement including the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) and Oregon State Police pushed the crowd back. Officers reported ‘large’ rocks thrown at them
Hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in South Portland, Oregon on January 10 and held a vigil at City Hall following federal agent-involved shootings in Portland and Minnesota
Oscar Belgal, 28, survived the shooting and was taken to hospital, where he remains conscious and is receiving medical attention. His injuries are not considered life-threatening, according to law enforcement officials.
Federal agents were reportedly targeting Belgal as part of an enforcement operation.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials said he was a Dominican man with a prior criminal conviction for grand larceny and multiple other arrests involving assault, robbery, drug possession and weapons possession.
Belgal is also alleged to have ties to the Trinitarios gang, which was responsible for the killing of a Customs and Border Protection officer last year. Federal agents were reportedly investigating whether he had links to a migrant moped gang shooting.
Mamdani described the incident as ‘unconscionable and incredibly serious’ in a social media post, adding that his ‘thoughts are with the injured New Yorker and his family tonight. We are praying for his recovery.’
The mayor said he later spoke with President Donald Trump and DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin to demand that ICE agents be removed from the city, but his efforts were unsuccessful.
‘Now I made clear to the president, to the secretary, our request [is] that ICE agents leave the scene entirely — as well as the demand that ICE stop its enforcement actions in New York City,’ he said.
‘We know, and I have said this directly, whether to the president or to the public, ICE undermines public safety. It makes us less safe,’ he argued.
Meanwhile, other cities in Oregon have fumed against the presence of ICE in their vicinity. Earlier this year, the mayor of Portland told ICE agents to ‘resign’ and ordered the agency to leave after a young girl was tear gassed along with other ‘peaceful protesters.’
Demonstrators at an ‘ICE out’ protest outside an immigration facility were struck with the chemical agent, along with pepper balls and rubber bullets in February 2026.
A video posted to Instagram showed a little girl crying as she attempted to recover after federal agents deployed tear gas.
‘It burns,’ the young girl appears to say.
The girl, who appears to be a preteen, could be seen wearing a pink shirt with butterflies as a protester douses her eyes with water.
‘Good job, spit it out,’ someone can be heard saying as the girl appears distraught.
Keith Wilson, the city’s Democrat mayor, echoed the words of Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey in asking the organization to get out.
‘To those who continue to work for ICE: Resign. To those who control this facility: Leave,’ Wilson said in a statement.