January 9, 2026  

Senate Republican Leader Bruce Starr and House Republican Leader Lucetta Elmer issued a statement Friday in response to the federal law enforcement incident in Portland on Thursday involving suspected members of the Tren de Aragua gang and what they call “the unsurprising reaction from Oregon Democrat politicians”.

The lawmakers said:

“Oregonians deserve facts, not fear-mongering. According to federal authorities, this incident involved a targeted law-enforcement operation against individuals tied to a transnational criminal organization involved in drug trafficking, sex trafficking, and violent crime. When federal agents identified themselves, the driver used their vehicle as a weapon, forcing an officer to make a split-second, defensive decision”

Starr and Elmer said, “That is not ‘federal violence against Portlanders as legislative Democrats have suggested. That is when law enforcement attempting to remove dangerous gang members from our streets, turned into a life-threatening situation”.

The release said Republican support the rule of law and law enforcement at every level. Star and Elmer said, “We stand with the men and women who put their lives on the line every day to protect our communities. We will never side with drug dealers, sex traffickers, or gang members over the officers sworn to uphold the law”.