ICE detains four people as FBI investigates who pointed laser at federal helicopter in Portland

Federal immigration officers detained four people, including one alleged to have aimed a green laser at a government helicopter circling the ICE building in South Portland over the weekend, the FBI said Monday.

Agents from the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations searched a home Monday morning that investigators said was “associated” with a person suspected of pointing the laser at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection helicopter and another plane in the area on Saturday night.

Agents seized a laser, the FBI said. Federal officials did not identify the laser-pointing suspect or anyone who was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.

Prosecutors had filed no criminal charges as of Monday.

“The federal government will not tolerate violence against federal officers, nor will we tolerate assaults on personal, commercial, or government aircraft,” the FBI said in a statement.

A Customs and Border Protection helicopter had been seen and heard circling the ICE building after President Donald Trump announced on social media Saturday that he was authorizing the deployment of troops to protect “War ravaged” Portland.

On Sunday morning, Gov. Tina Kotek received an email from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth alerting her that the president was deploying 200 Oregon National Guard members in Portland to help protect federal property.

Portland police Cmdr. Franz Schoening also confirmed in a court filing Monday that Portland police monitoring the protest outside the ICE building Sunday night had support from a police airplane. About 200 demonstrators showed up to protest Trump’s decision.

Portland police made two arrests Sunday night, accusing a 17-year-old of fourth-degree assault and a 38-year-old of third-degree assault.

Federal officers made one arrest Saturday night, accusing a 37-year-old man, Tomas Plancarte-Benson, of assault of a federal officer.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis Burhart in court Monday said Plancarte-Benson pushed a federal officer. He’s accused of pushing a Federal Protective Service officer who along with ICE Enforcement and Removal’s Special Response Team officers, had emerged from the gate of the ICE building to clear the vehicle entrance, according to a federal affidavit.

Julie Vandiver, an assistant federal public defender, said the federal officer first pushed Plancarte-Benson with his riot shield, and Plancarte-Benson put his hands out and “pushed back” against the officer’s shield.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Stacie F. Beckerman released Plancarte-Benson pending trial with the order that he be restricted from returning to a designated area around the ICE building.

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