Inside the ICE facility that's become the flashpoint of Portland protests

PORTLAND, Ore. — Past a row of office cubicles, there’s a folding stepstool set up against the wall. To get outside and onto the roof, you climb through a large, swinging glass window. It’s a well-worn path used by federal officers guarding the ICE building in South Portland.

For months, masked officers have stood on the roof watching demonstrators on the street below. Occasionally, they’ve used this exposed perch over the driveway to fire pepper balls and other crowd control munitions.

Previously, local media had not been given access inside the ICE building. After repeated requests, KGW was allowed inside Wednesday — with limits on where we could go and what we could film.

KGW accepted the terms because we felt it was important to see the conditions firsthand and better understand w