DHS Employees Are Worried The Portland Protest Response Is Destroying Their Agency's Reputation

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

The Department of Homeland Security’s response to anti–police brutality protests in Portland, Oregon, has disturbed and angered many employees, who called the deployment of the federal force an unusual maneuver that could do long-term damage to the agency’s reputation.

In recent days, Oregon leaders, including the governor, have called on DHS officers to leave Portland as nightly protests have grown in size. Videos captured by protesters and media have shown the consistent use of tear gas and other "less than lethal" weapons from officers guarding the Mark O. Hatfield Courthouse in downtown Portland amid a backdrop of federal officers outfitted in camouflage snatching people off the street in unmarked vehicles.

The Trump administration and senior DHS officials have said the federal response in Portland — where officers from US Customs and Border Protection and ICE are deployed — is necessary to protect the federal courthouse from damage, and they have called some protesters violent criminals. The situation in Portland, they’ve added, is unique and requires a federal response due to local leaders’ apparent unwillingness to help protect federal property.

But conversations with 17 DHS employees, all of whom requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter, reveal that many at the agency disagree with the show of force. Some called for an investigation, while others said they feared the long-term consequences for the agency’s reputation.

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/hamedaleaziz/dhs-employee-anger-over-portland-protest-response

[Wounded Bear]

1. I think 3 1/2 years of fascist terrorism against immigrants did that...

[NRaleighLiberal]

2. reputation??? it's been a sham since day 1. homeland bullshit

[drray23]

5. Yes even the name "homeland" had connotations

of German right wing stuff. The motherland was a central theme in Hitler's propaganda.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

18. Damn straight, it does! nt

[Laelth]

25. I hear ya.

But Germany was the fatherland.

Russia is a motherland.

fwiw.

-Laelth

[burrowowl]

31. Sure does!

[Solly Mack]

3. Not the Onion.

Alrighty then.

[guillaumeb]

4. Their reputation was already destroyed. eom

[Dan]

6. I think that how the POTUS and DOJ has used the DHS shows

That they should not be under the Executive branch, because Trump will and is using them like his private police. There are too many examples in history that make me concerned.

Plus, as someone said - after caging children, taking babies from their parents - one has to ask, what won’t they do for this POTUS?

I am thinking more and more, the total organization should be disbanded - and the criminal elements of this organization - charged for crimes against humanity.

[Sgent]

29. I kinda agree

USCG back to Transportation, SS back to Treasury, etc.

That said, SCOTUS has taken the position that almost every federal employee down to the local mail carrier is an at will employee of the President as per the Consumer Protection Agency decision. Either SCOTUS needs to change (I don't see it), or we need a constitutional amendment.

[triron]

30. Or a new republic.

[Generic Other]

7. What Reputation?

The one where they abuse children by keeping them in cages? The one where they sniff your underwear at the border to make sure you aren't carrying a bomb? The one where they can pull you over within 100 miles of an international airport and demand to see your papers?

What reputation? As Gestapo Wannabes?

[CountAllVotes]

8. The only things they ever secured were ...

FEAR and the War on Terror!

[Ms. Toad]

9. They should be concerned,

and they shoudl stop following orders and/or resign.

"Just following orders," is not a defense to following illegal orders.

[C_U_L8R]

10. DHS should be outlawed and disbanded.

It was a carelessly planned and unnecessary organization that's been abused for political profit. It needs to go away.

[onecaliberal]

11. That ship sailed away years ago.

[roamer65]

12. Defund DHS.

[superpatriotman]

16. +1

Time to dismantle this fascist jobs program

[crickets]

24. +1000000

[gratuitous]

13. Well, that sounds very worrisome

I suppose now those people snatched off the street or beaten with batons should all just shut up now, because it really hurts DHS employees' feelings.

[Faux pas]

14. I

have a different take who those storm troopers are/might be. I have a vision of stephen miller recruiting militia members and those effers are just a bunch of privately hired white nationalist thugs.

[matt819]

15. Destroyed

Not destroying.

[Sanity Claws]

17. That ship has sailed

Did they really think they had any reputation to salvage after putting children in cages?

[hatrack]

22. Sailed, burned, capsized and sank . . .

FUCK DHS.

Fuck these sub-Blart buffoons and their "concerns".

[JonLP24]

19. I agree

I'm starting to think the DHS should be "defunded".

[bottomofthehill]

20. And they would be right

They were not loved before and hated now.

[LiberalFighter]

21. There needs to be a house cleaning with CBP and ICE.

[NCjack]

23. By the time Portland finishes with you, DHS will be disbanded.

No agency will want any of you.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

26. "Did you ever imagine this could happen to Dubya's creation, Bob?"

"Not in my wildest dreams, Frank. Welp, nuthin' we can do about it. Coming over Saturday for my cook-out? I just had a huge new patio installed."

"You bet, Bob!"

[MurrayDelph]

27. Hate to break it to them

But facism IS their agency's reputation, ever since Joe fucking-Lieberman came up with the Department of Das Vaterland Security.

[Hekate]

28. Defund? Disband them, and salt the earth where their HQ is

[Cha]

32. Wow.. at least they have some decent human beings

working for DHS.. and of course they want anonymity.. they'd lose their jobs in a heartbeat if the "gestapo" found out.

[peggysue2]

33. Ruining their reputation???

How about destroying our democratic Republic, asshats? The country has to survive this illegal assault before any agency starts boo-hooing about their reputation and legacy.

Because the cart without the horse doesn't travel too far.

And they requested anonymity to voice these 'concerns'.

[pecosbob]

34. No worries...we haven't forgotten

We'll fix your little wagon after we repeal the Patriot Act and pass the new ban on federal hiring of PMCs.