(PORTLAND, OREGON) A blind protester, Quinn Haberl, was dragged and detained by federal agents outside the Portland ICE facility on two separate occasions in October, with both incidents captured on video and widely shared by local media. The most documented event occurred on Saturday, October 18, 2025, when Haberl, who uses a white cane, was seated near a blue line that federal officers say marks the edge of federal property.
Agents circled him, grabbed him by his limbs, and carried him toward the gate. During the process, they lost their grip, causing his head to strike the pavement. He was then dragged past the gate and handcuffed.
Haberl said he was charged with failure to comply and held inside for about an hour before being released. He later went to the hospital, where doctors found bruising on his shoulders, hands, and arms, but no serious injury to his back or neck. He described the encounter as traumatic and said an agent pressed a foot or another body part on his back and neck while restraining him. One agent was seen picking up his white cane, which he relies on to move safely.
What the videos show on October 18, 2025
Eyewitnesses and video from the scene show Haberl sitting on the sidewalk near the blue line. Officers approached in a tight formation, issued commands, and then seized him by his limbs.
As they carried him, the group stumbled and dropped him onto the pavement. The sequence continued as agents pulled him past the gate at the Portland ICE facility and secured him in restraints. The stark images, including the moment an officer collected his cane, fueled anger among protesters and disability advocates.
Supporters say Haberl was nonviolent and stationary. They argue that the use of force was disproportionate, especially given his disability. According to people close to him, he is now afraid to leave home and is too emotional to speak publicly. A community fundraiser was set up to help cover medical and legal costs, underscoring the immediate personal impact of the arrest and the financial strain that can follow such encounters.
The October 18 episode was the second incident involving Haberl that week, according to local reports cited in the videos and accounts circulating among protesters. Multiple bystander clips, recorded from different angles, intensified scrutiny of enforcement tactics outside federal property and drew broader attention to how officers handle people with disabilities during protests.
Agency response and community concerns
The Department of Homeland Security said Haberl was arrested for “blatantly disobeying law enforcement orders to remain off federal property” and for blocking the driveway, which prevented vehicles from entering or exiting the facility. DHS stressed that the blue line marks the boundary for trespassing arrests and that officers are strictly enforcing that demarcation.
The department did not respond to multiple follow-up requests for more comment.
Separately, the FBI has been releasing daily statistics on arrests and fines tied to ongoing protests at the site, according to local coverage referenced by demonstrators. Those figures have not been detailed by DHS in response to questions about Haberl’s case. The lack of additional comment from the department has left protesters, disability groups, and passersby to draw their own conclusions about the use of force that day.
Advocates say the episode highlights what they view as a mismatch between a nonviolent act—sitting on a sidewalk near a painted line—and the level of force applied by officers trained to control access to federal facilities. Footage of agents carrying a blind person, then dragging him after a fall, struck a nerve. For many, the sight of the white cane—held by an officer as Haberl was restrained—became a symbol of the power imbalance and the risks faced by disabled protesters in tense crowd-control settings.
“The use of force against someone who cannot see the boundary raises serious concerns about accommodations and de-escalation,” said local advocates and disability groups responding to the videos.
Wider context and next steps
The images from October 18, 2025 now sit at the center of a local debate over boundaries, orders, and force. Protesters argue the blue line is a shifting and confusing marker that can trap people into arrest. DHS describes it as a clear boundary that allows agents to separate public space from federal property, particularly when driveways and gates must remain open.
Those two views collided at the gate as officers moved to clear the entry and enforce their warnings.
Haberl’s supporters say he has been struggling since the incident and is fearful of leaving home. Their decision to raise funds for medical and legal needs reflects how quickly protest-related arrests can ripple into daily life, especially for someone with a disability. They also point to the earlier incident that week, saying repeated encounters have compounded the emotional fallout.
VisaVerge.com reports that incidents near immigration facilities often refocus public attention on how boundaries are marked and enforced during protests, and on what steps officers take to reduce harm to people with disabilities. In Portland, those questions are now tied to a visible line of paint on the ground and to a set of videos many residents have watched more than once.
Officials have emphasized the necessity of keeping access routes open, particularly at locations where vehicle traffic is constant and security is strict. Protesters counter that sitting or standing near a line should not end with a person being carried and dragged, especially if that person cannot see well enough to orient themselves without a cane. These competing claims have sharpened the divide over the events outside the Portland ICE facility.
DHS has not provided additional details about the decision to detain Haberl for roughly an hour or about any pending follow-up actions. Nor has the department elaborated on training protocols for interacting with blind individuals in fast-moving enforcement situations. The FBI’s daily arrest and fine updates, referenced by local outlets, have added to the backdrop but have not resolved the core dispute raised by the videos.
For readers seeking official information about the department’s structure and responsibilities, details are available on the Department of Homeland Security website. While that site does not address Haberl’s arrest specifically, it outlines the role federal officers play in protecting government facilities and managing access points.
Key takeaways
- Date of main incident: October 18, 2025
- Subject: Quinn Haberl, a blind protester who uses a white cane
- Location: Outside the Portland ICE facility, near a painted blue line marking federal property
- Outcome: Dragged, handcuffed, charged with failure to comply, detained for about one hour, later treated for bruising
- Community impact: Emotional trauma, fear of leaving home, medical and legal fundraiser started
- Ongoing questions: Use-of-force policies near federal property, accommodations for people with disabilities during enforcement, and DHS transparency about arrests and fines
As the clips continue to circulate, Portland-area disability advocates, immigrant community members, and civil libertarians say the consequences of that Saturday remain real for those who were there. The footage of Quinn Haberl, seated near a painted line and then taken to the ground during the carry, is now part of a larger discussion about how federal officers interpret orders to clear space and how those orders are applied to people who cannot see the line, the gate, or the officers closing in.
What happened on October 18, 2025 is not just a timestamp on a police report. It is a sequence that begins with a blind man sitting near a boundary and ends with bruising, handcuffs, and a brief detention. It is also a test of public confidence in how rules are enforced at crowded federal entry points during heated protests. And for Haberl, it is a memory he and his supporters say has changed his sense of safety in his own city.
This Article in a Nutshell
On October 18, 2025, Quinn Haberl, a blind protester using a white cane, was seized by federal agents near a painted blue line outside the Portland ICE facility. Video shows officers surrounding Haberl, grabbing his limbs, carrying him toward the gate, stumbling and dropping him, then dragging and handcuffing him. DHS said the arrest was for blocking a driveway and failing to comply with orders; Haberl was detained about an hour and later treated for bruises. The footage—particularly an officer picking up Haberl’s cane—sparked outrage from disability advocates and protesters, who question the proportionality of force and the clarity of property boundary enforcement. Supporters launched a fundraiser to cover medical and legal costs. DHS has not provided detailed follow-up comments, and the incident has intensified debate over accommodations, use-of-force policies near federal property, and transparency around arrests and fines tied to ongoing protests.
