Some Customs and Border Protection personnel, as well as Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, have worn camouflage tactical uniforms while policing in Portland, according to DHS. Concern grew in recent weeks about the blurring of law enforcement and military personnel.
Top Pentagon officials have said they wanted this change.
Ken Cuccinelli, the senior official performing the duties of the Homeland Security deputy secretary, outlined the change in written testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
"DHS law enforcement officers who interact with crowds are all identifiable both by their law enforcement agency and individually. They are in their respective uniform, with appropriate insignia -- to include the words 'POLICE' as well identifying the agency for which they work," Cuccinelli's testimony stated. "The names of agents are no longer displayed, as they are the target of recent doxing incidents, which puts both them and their families in grave danger. To address concerns about military-like appearance of some of Customs Border Protection's officers' uniforms, which are the normal uniforms used by some CBP teams in the course of regular duty, we are moving rapidly to replace those uniforms for those personnel."
CBP officers "came with what they had," Cuccinelli added during the hearing, adding that "we have moved as quickly as we could to procure for them what you think of as the solid green CBP uniform."
For more than two months, protesters took to the streets in Portland, following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. The protests in Portland escalated after the Trump administration sent federal agents into the city, ostensibly to protect federal property.
During the Senate hearing Tuesday, Republican and Democratic senators clashed over protests, underscoring the rift among the two parties about the situation that at times involved violent clashes between federal agents and protestors.
Cuccinelli defended the administration's actions, repeatedly distinguishing between rioters and protestors. At one point he brought out a laser pointer to demonstrate the danger to officers' eyes.
The events that unfolded in the city became a touchpoint in the debate over protests and who they're composed of. The title of the hearing -- "The Right of the People Peaceably to Assemble: Protecting Speech by Stopping Anarchist Violence" -- set the tone.
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who chaired the subcommittee hearing, criticized the "leftist" and "anarchists" groups who he alleged exploited the cause.
"Americans rightly and peaceably assembled to demand justice," the Republican senator said. "What began as legitimate protests against a vile act of abuse sadly were soon hijacked by opportunities and violent radicals."
Critics argue, however, that the increased federal presence aggravated the situation on the ground in Portland, fueling protests that had largely been peaceful.
Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono denounced the title of the hearing. "The h
