This story is published in a content partnership with POLITICO. It was originally reported by David Cohen on politico.com on July 19, 2020. Leave my city alone. That was the message Mayor Ted Wheeler of Portland, Oregon, had on Sunday for US President Donald Trump in discussing the Trump administration’s response to ongoing protests and unrest in the city, in particular, the presence of militarised federal forces deployed by the Department of Homeland Security. “What they are doing is sharply escalating the situation. Their presence here is actually leading to more violence and more vandalism. And it’s not helping the situation at all. They’re not wanted here,” Wheeler told host Jake Tapper on CNN’s State of the Union . “In fact, we want them to leave.” Protests in Portland have been continuing since the death of George Floyd in Minnesota in May. The focus of the unrest has been a 12-block area; protests in other parts of the city have been largely without incident, but protests within the 12-block zone have included fires and vandalism. On Saturday, a fire was set at the Portland Police Association, and police used tear gas in an attempt to clear the area. In recent days, federal forces have been detaining and arresting protesters, and reports indicate they have sometimes done so without identifying themselves and that they are using unmarked vehicles. Wheeler said the government’s actions were in violation of the law. “The tactics that the Trump administration are using on the streets of Portland are abhorrent,” Wheeler said, adding that people were being deprived of due process and being detained without probable cause. “As far as I can see this is completely unconstitutional,” Wheeler said. The state of Oregon has also sought to get rid of the federal agents, with Oregon‘s attorney general, Ellen Rosenblum, suing late on Friday in federal court. The American Civil Liberties Union has also challenged the administration’s actions. “Authoritarian governments, not democratic republics, send unmarked authorities after protesters,” Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) tweeted on Thursday. “These Trump/Barr tactics designed to eliminate any accountability are absolutely unacceptable in America, and must end.” New police footage reveals George Floyd’s final moments The deployment of federal agents has fit with the president’s efforts to draw a contrast with presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden, whom Trump has said is not interested in law and order. In a pre-recorded interview with Fox News Sunday , Trump defended his Portland policy to host Chris Wallace. “If you look at what’s gone on in Portland, those are anarchists and we’ve taken a very tough stand. If we didn’t take a stand in Portland, you know we’ve arrested many of these leaders. If we didn’t take that stand, right now you would have a problem,” he said. Trump also tweeted about the subject on Sunday morning: “We are trying to help Portland, not hurt it. Their leadership has, for months, lost control of the anarchists and agitators. They are missing in action. We must protect Federal property, AND OUR PEOPLE.” Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf, during a visit on Thursday, said the city was facing chaos. “Each night, lawless anarchists destroy and desecrate property, including the federal courthouse, and attack the brave law enforcement officers protecting it.” In response, Wheeler said the uninvited federal presence was only making things worse. “The president has a complete misunderstanding of cause and effect,” he said, adding he was worried that if the federal agents remained, someone was going to get killed. Oregon Governor Kate Brown echoed Wheeler’s comments that the situation was improving until federal forces arrived. “We know that the presence of federal officers has inflamed the streets,” she told The Washington Post . John Lewis, civil rights pioneer and US Congressman, dies at 80 Wheeler did say there was a limit to what he or the governor could actually do to force Trump to remove the federal agents. “We can build awareness, and that’s what we‘re doing,” Wheeler said. “From our federal congressional officers, to our governor, to our local elected officials, we’re all telling the Trump administration, stop the rhetoric. Take these people out of our city. They are not helping us. They are hurting us. They’re escalating an already dangerous situation. And what I want to do is raise awareness nationally. This could happen in your city.” See the original Politico article .