A Portland City Council member has recommended using burner phones and encrypted messaging apps to avoid tracking by federal agents, sparking debate over privacy measures during protests.
Council Member Angelita Morillo, a self-described queer activist from Paraguay who uses they/them pronouns, shared the advice in a video posted on her Facebook account. The guidance came as part of broader efforts to protect individuals from surveillance amid tensions surrounding U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities in Portland.
Morillo warned that smartphones could act as “trackers and listening devices,” urging residents to adopt precautions such as purchasing burner phones with cash, using encrypted apps like Signal, and disabling biometric security features. They also suggested employing Faraday cages to block signals, emphasizing the need for protesters to remain vigilant against monitoring.
The recommendation follows President Donald J. Trump’s deployment of the National Guard to Portland to safeguard ICE facilities, which have faced repeated demonstrations and attacks by groups opposing immigration enforcement. While Morillo framed their advice as a protective measure for peaceful protesters, critics noted the potential for such tactics to be exploited by individuals engaging in unlawful activities.
Morillo concluded by encouraging organizers to prioritize strategic planning and trustworthiness when coordinating actions, stating, “We must be smarter, and better organized than our opposition.”
