1. United States
2. Letter

A federal court has added further documentation of what should never be routine in the United States: federal agents using force against peaceful protesters in Portland, Oregon. In Dickinson v. Trump (Case No. 3:25-cv-2170-SI), U.S. District Judge Michael H. Simon found that federal agents repeatedly used weapons against civilians. Those harmed included children, senior citizens, journalists, medics, and bystanders. The Department of Homeland Security has treated ordinary demonstrations as “riots,” then used that label to justify escalating force. This is not law enforcement; it’s repression. Judge Simon wrote that in a functioning constitutional democracy, free speech, newsgathering, and nonviolent protest are permitted and respected. He contrasted this with authoritarian systems, where force replaces accountability. His ruling noted that statements from DHS leadership showing an agency culture that celebrates violent responses instead of restraint and diplomacy. That culture exists under your administration. When federal power is used to intimidate civilians, suppress the press, and punish protest, it violates the Constitution you swore to uphold. This conduct endangers lives and corrodes the legitimacy of the federal government itself. You must order an immediate halt to the use of force against lawful protest, discipline officials who promoted escalation, and submit DHS operations to independent oversight. Anything less signals that repression is not a failure of leadership, but a deliberate choice.