Gov. Tina Kotek blamed the Trump administration's immigration enforcement tactics for creating the conditions that led three armed men to impersonate federal agents and assault a driver east of Woodburn earlier this month.
In a statement July 27, Kotek called the attack disturbing and said it was a direct result of a lack of accountability and oversight of overly aggressive federal agents in Oregon communities.
She said her thoughts were with the victim and the communities frightened by the incident.
The statement came days after Oregon State Police confirmed that three men wearing tactical vests marked "POLICE," carrying a rifle, and driving an unmarked SUV with emergency lights pulled over a driver on Highway 211 near milepost 5 on July 17.
The suspects identified themselves as ICE agents, forcibly removed the victim from the car, searched the driver, and held the person for roughly 15 to 20 minutes.
A third man who stayed in the vehicle assaulted the victim. The driver later sought hospital treatment for injuries.
Federal agencies confirmed the men were not actual officers. No arrests have been made as of Tuesday, July 28.
Kotek said she was grateful to Oregon State Police and the FBI for opening a joint investigation and urged anyone with information to contact law enforcement.
She called for a swift and thorough investigation and pledged her administration would continue working with state and local partners to hold those responsible accountable.
Federal agencies join investigation
ICE spokesperson Jason Chudy confirmed in a written statement July 28, that the Department of Homeland Security is also involved in the investigation alongside the FBI and OSP. Chudy said anyone caught impersonating a federal officer, including deportation officers or special agents, would be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
The case is filed under OSP number SP26-237961. Anyone with information can call OSP dispatch at 800-442-0776 or dial *677 from a mobile phone.
Local context
The attack happened on a highway just east of Woodburn, a city where more than 60% of residents are Latino and over 34% were born outside the United States, according to the Oregon Capital Chronicle.
Oregon's Law Enforcement Accountability & Visibility Act, House Bill 4138, took effect in 2026. It requires all officers operating in the state to display identification and limits the use of face coverings.
The bill passed the Oregon House on a 36-19 vote. But its lead author, Rep. Farrah Chaichi, D-Beaverton, has acknowledged that enforcing the law against federal agents remains an open legal question under the Constitution's Supremacy Clause.
In its news alert accompanying the investigation announcement, OSP noted that the impersonation undermines the trust between communities of color and law enforcement.
Marion County received 29 federal requests for immigration enforcement assistance between June 2025 and May 2026, the most of any local agency in Oregon, according to Salem Reporter's reporting on state Criminal Justice Commission data. The county did not cooperate with any of them.
Anyone who witnessed suspicious activity on Highway 211 near South Barlow Road on July 17, or who received communications from the phone number 971-502-5548, should contact OSP at the numbers above.
