Parents and teachers in Oregon have formed neighborhood groups to monitor Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity. It’s a system that organizers say helps alert illegal immigrants when federal agents are nearby.

Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) reported in October on members of the ICE watch groups, explaining that participants position themselves at various spots throughout the neighborhood, often around schools, to look out for ICE officers.

If agents are detected, group members use text chains and whistles to alert local members of the activity. The effort comes as President Donald Trump continues to ramp up immigration enforcement operations across the country.

“We’re making ourselves present and visible so that our families see we stand with our community, and we stand as a message that our students deserve to learn in confidence and not in fear,” teacher Andy Bunting told OPB in October.

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Portland is among several Democratic-led cities seeing widespread community pushback against the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration. Similar ICE alert groups have cropped up in states like California.

Several Portland-centered Instagram accounts help to organize these anti-ICE groups. Among them is @pdxicewatch, which boasts nearly 23,000 followers. The account’s bio says it is “watching ICE activity,” and it frequently posts the locations of ICE operations in the area and has a tip line.

The online group also helps maintain a publicly available database of vehicles suspected to be in use by ICE officers, listing their models, where they were seen and license plates.

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One informational post uploaded in November specifically discusses intervening during ICE operations near schools.

“Focus on areas that seem quiet around the school, ICE likes to kidnap people in alleyways and dead-end streets,” one slide states.

“Sometimes staff will reach out, but the admin in the front office will not. There can be a disconnect between brown and black teachers/social workers and an all-white admin staff,” another slide says.

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ICE justified its operations near schools to OPB, writing, “ICE is safeguarding schools and places of worship by preventing criminal aliens and gang members from exploiting them as safe havens, a practice previously restricted under the Biden Administration. DHS now allows its law enforcement agencies to act with supervisory approval, ensuring such actions remain rare and discretionary.”

Portland Mayor Keith Wilson and other city leaders have condemned immigration agents, accusing them of using chemical pepper balls during an arrest.

“ICE activity in North Portland, including the recent unnecessary and potentially unconstitutional use of chemical munitions, directly contradicts Portland’s values,” the leaders wrote in a statement posted Tuesday.

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“As Portland’s civic leaders, we condemn ICE’s unjustified, disruptive, and escalatory conduct, which undermines public trust in government.”

Earlier this year, protests outside Portland’s ICE facility became nearly nightly occurrences as activists demonstrated against deportations.

With rain and wind in the forecast, it may make some people’s holiday travel a little more difficult.

At San Francisco International Airport, more than 400 flights have been delayed. Maggie Nelson’s was delayed coming into the airport. 

“It seemed like everyone was in a panic or a hurry to get anywhere,” said Nelson. “The plane was crowded. There was a lot of turbulence.”

Nelson flew in from Redmond, Oregon, usually a quick flight to SFO, just under two hours, but she ended up being delayed nearly that long.

“Originally, we were supposed to take off at 2 p.m. and then our flight got delayed to 2:50 p.m., and then it got delayed again,” Nelson explained. “I don’t think we took off until 3:30 p.m. because of high winds or something.”

California is in the middle of an intense storm period. Two systems bringing heavy rain and strong winds, and Nelson could feel all of it.  

“The turbulence was pretty bad,” said Nelson. “There was a point where I got nauseous. I was like ‘Are we there yet? Is this over?’”

While she’s grateful to be on solid ground, Shon Alkaslasi was about to take off or at least try to.

“United sent a text that wind might affect operations,” said Alkaslasi. 

He arrived early, just in case of holiday traffic, now he’s anticipating he may be delayed. He’s travelling home to Los Angeles, another area in the middle of the storms.

“I would say I’m not the biggest fan of turbulence so I am a little bit nervous about that,” Alkaslaski detailed. “But if they say it’s totally safe to travel, I’m not usually concerned but the feeling of bumps on a plane is just not the most comfortable and I’ll have to deal with it.”

Airport Duty Manager Crystal David said overall things haven’t been too bad, but West Coast flights, like Alkaslasi’s and Nelson’s, are the ones most likely to be impacted.

“SFO is on a ground delay program throughout the night, through midnight and so right now it’s about 127 minutes because of winds,” said David. “Mostly it’s the west coast flights are that are being affected right now with delays of up to 35 minutes for the west coast traffic.”

She said the delays could continue into the morning, when even stronger winds are expected. She recommends travelers check in with their airlines.

But for Nelson, she’s just glad she made it home.

“I used to live a lot closer so it’s a lot harder to come home now so when I do get to come home, I try to take advantage of that and appreciate it,” said Nelson. 

DENVER — The redesigned 16th Street which was completed back in October and has brought in more foot traffic just in time for last minute holiday shopping.

“Mall is alive. We can’t wait for the holiday,” said James Chapman, Denver resident.

That’s how some shoppers that we spoke with feel since 16^th street was reopened.

“It’s so nice, a lot more walkable,” said Alexis Armentrout, Denver resident. 

The three-year long construction helped revitalize the aging infrastructure making it more accessible.

“The redesign is beautiful, especially for people with disabilities. We don’t have a lot of curve cuts. We can, like, go here and there. You can go in and out of this shop, back in the other shop, and do some shopping with our grandkids without running off the curb,” said James Chapman, Denver resident. 

The construction did cause some business interruptions, but one candy shop we spoke with says the end result has helped with their sales.

“We’ve seen so much more foot traffic. Our margins have been through the roof since it actually happened just, I think, our frames, and with the holidays, a lot of people staying around here in the hotels, and just our Denver native people as well are just pouring in the store,” said Victoria Hinojos, Its Sugar assistant manager.

The Downtown Denver Partnership says they saw a 26% year over year foot traffic increase on 16th Street last month.

“It’s been super cool to see it revamped,” said Armentrout.

According to the National Retail Federation, over a trillion dollars is forecasted to be spent this holiday season nationwide.

“We are seeing tons of last-minute holiday shoppers,” said Hinojos.

We asked some shopper what they have on their list to buy.

“Headed down to do some photo cards for my grandkids, and then I’m headed to TJ Maxx to try to find a special gift for a loved one, like a little jewelry box,” said Chapman.

For some shoppers, they say last minute holiday shopping brings them joy.

“The feeling it brings for me this year, on last day holiday shopping is I need to get it and wrap it and present it. So last minute shopping is a beautiful thing,” said Chapman.