Salem police are investigating reports that federal immigration agents used tear gas Saturday morning after a group of residents blocked ICE vehicles in northeast Salem, prompting criticism from U.S. Rep. Andrea Salinas. The City of Salem said ICE alerted local police at about 9:30 a.m. that roughly 30 people had surrounded and blocked its vehicles near Northeast 1970 Lancaster Drive. Police received reports that agents deployed tear gas and moved cars to clear the scene. The city also said multiple 911 callers reported symptoms consistent with tear-gas exposure. Salem police and fire personnel responded to provide medical assistance. Detectives later gathered witness accounts and evidence, and the city said the investigation is continuing. City officials said Salem police had no advance knowledge of the incident and did not coordinate with ICE. Police responded to de-escalate the disturbance, provide aid and document evidence for oversight agencies, a city spokesperson said. Salinas, a Democrat who represents Oregon’s 6th Congressional District, condemned the agents’ use of force and accused them of escalating the encounter. She also said ICE agents followed and harassed U.S. citizens, drove recklessly and disrupted traffic on parts of Oregon Route 99E. Those allegations were not independently established in the information released by the city. “If Trump were not using ICE to threaten and terrorize our communities, Oregonians would have been safer today,” Salinas said in a statement, adding that agents either lacked de-escalation training or were unwilling to operate safely. ICE had not immediately responded to a request for comment. Salem’s ongoing investigation may help establish what happened during the encounter and whether the use of chemical agents complied with applicable rules.