Oregon has reached an agreement with the federal government for the withdrawal of agents from the anti-racism protests in Portland, according to statements released simultaneously by Gov. Kate Brown and the acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday.

"After my discussions with VP Pence and others, the federal government has agreed to withdraw federal officers from Portland. They have acted as an occupying force & brought violence. Starting tomorrow, all Customs and Border Protection & ICE officers will leave downtown Portland," Kate wrote on Twitter.

"Our local Oregon State Police officers will be downtown to protect Oregonians' right to free speech and keep the peace. Let's center the Black Lives Matter movement's demands for racial justice and police accountability. It's time for bold action to reform police practices."

The Portland protests have occurred nightly for two months, initially sparked by the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, during arrest by police officers in Minneapolis.

The federal government deployed agents to the protests in early July, claiming their presence was necessary to protect federal property.

Two government watchdogs said last week that they had opened investigations into the conduct of federal agents responding to unrest in Portland, Oregon, following abuse of power allegations by members of Congress, local officials and the public.

The Justice Department watchdog said that it would investigate use of force allegations in Portland, while its counterpart at the Department of Homeland Security said it would examine whether officers from the agency improperly detained and transported protesters in the city last week.