Lawmakers question DHS crackdown tactics in protest cities

The military tactics utilized by Homeland Security officers to control protesters in Portland, Oregon, and other cities are being decried by congressional lawmakers and investigated by federal watchdogs.

But some legal experts who have long tracked how the department fulfills its immigration policies say the tactics shouldn’t come as a surprise. They also said some of the moves may be perfectly legal.

The most recent controversy over federally deployed tactical officers started after DHS responded to Portland protests over police brutality by sending agents from Customs and Border Protection, Border Patrol Tactical Unit, Federal Protective Service, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. They joined agents on the ground from the Justice Department’s U.S. Marshals Service.

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