Federal immigration officers shot and wounded two people Thursday afternoon in Southeast Portland during a law-enforcement operation near a hospital, sparking fresh outrage from local leaders and civil-rights advocates.

Federal immigration officers shot and wounded two people Thursday afternoon in Southeast Portland during a law-enforcement operation near a hospital, sparking fresh outrage from local leaders and civil-rights advocates.

According to the Portland Police Bureau, officers initially responded around 2:18 p.m. to reports of a shooting outside a medical facility near Adventist Health. Minutes later, a man who had been shot called for help a few miles away, and police found him and a woman suffering from gunshot wounds. Both were transported to local hospitals; authorities later confirmed they were wounded during the encounter with federal agents.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents were conducting a targeted vehicle stop connected to an investigation when an agent fired at the occupants of a vehicle, claiming the driver attempted to use the vehicle as a weapon against officers. Federal officials also said the two individuals had alleged ties to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, although independent verification of that claim has not been released.

The identities of the wounded were later disclosed by DHS as Luis David Nico Moncada and Yorlenys Betzabeth Zambrano-Contreras, both Venezuelan nationals. DHS stated Moncada entered the U.S. in 2022 and the passenger in 2023, and linked both to criminal activity. Both remain hospitalized, with at least one reported in stable condition and — in one case — now in federal custody.

Local officials challenged the federal narrative, questioning the necessity of the shooting and pushing back against aggressive immigration enforcement tactics in Portland. Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield vowed a thorough investigation to determine whether agents acted within the scope of their authority, saying the state would pursue charges if warranted. Portland’s mayor and city council have called for a pause in federal immigration operations until independent review is completed.

The incident comes just one day after a separate fatal shooting by an ICE officer in Minneapolis, which has already ignited protests nationwide. The back-to-back use-of-force incidents involving federal immigration agents have intensified scrutiny of U.S. immigration enforcement policies, with critics arguing that militarized tactics endanger communities and erode public trust.

Community response was swift: hundreds rallied outside the local ICE facility, with demonstrators demanding accountability and the suspension of similar operations. At least six people were arrested during protests, signaling growing tensions around federal enforcement in urban areas.

The FBI is now leading the federal investigation into the Portland shooting, while local police provide support. As the probe continues, both city and state officials are pushing for transparency and accountability, underscoring deepening friction between federal enforcement priorities and local governance.