A federal judge has issued a temporary order limiting the use of teargas and projectile munitions by US immigration officers during protests outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Portland, Oregon, following a series of demonstrations that were met with force.
US District Judge Michael Simon ruled that federal officers may not deploy chemical agents or projectile weapons against protesters unless there is an imminent threat of physical harm. The order also restricts officers from firing such munitions at a person’s head, neck or torso unless the use of deadly force would otherwise be legally justified.
The temporary restraining order will remain in effect for 14 days.
Ruling follows weekend protest
The decision follows a weekend protest at the ICE building attended by thousands of people, including families with children. Local officials said the demonstration had been peaceful before federal agents fired teargas, pepper balls and rubber bullets into the crowd.
In his written order, Judge Simon said the conduct described in court filings was not isolated and raised concerns about how force was being used in crowd-control situations. The ruling emphasised that chemical and projectile munitions should only be deployed under narrowly defined circumstances.
Legal challenge brought by civil liberties group
The order was issued in response to a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon on behalf of protesters and freelance journalists who were present at demonstrations near the ICE facility.
The lawsuit names the Department of Homeland Security, its secretary Kristi Noem and President Donald Trump as defendants. It argues that the use of chemical agents and so-called “less-lethal” munitions amounted to retaliation against protesters and journalists, infringing on constitutional protections related to free speech, assembly and press activity.
The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Accounts detailed in court filings
Court documents describe multiple instances in which protesters and journalists were struck by chemical agents or projectile munitions.
Among those cited were an elderly couple who attended a peaceful march to the ICE building, a frequent protester known for wearing a chicken costume, and two freelance journalists documenting events. The filings describe injuries including head wounds, burns, broken equipment and hospital treatment following exposure to chemical agents.
The judge concluded that the plaintiffs had shown sufficient evidence of potential harm to justify immediate restrictions while the case proceeds.
Wider legal context
Courts in other parts of the United States have also examined the use of chemical agents and projectile weapons by federal officers during protests.
In recent months, federal appeals courts have paused or overturned lower court rulings in Minnesota and Illinois that sought to limit the use of teargas and pepper-based munitions by federal agents. Similar legal challenges remain ongoing in several jurisdictions.
The Portland ruling does not establish a nationwide precedent but adds to a growing body of judicial scrutiny over how federal law enforcement responds to demonstrations.
Local and national response
Portland’s mayor, Keith Wilson, criticised the use of chemical agents at the protest and called for ICE to leave the city, saying force had been used against people who posed no threat. His comments echoed broader concerns raised by local officials and advocacy groups.
Nationwide, protests have continued in several cities in response to the Trump administration’s intensified immigration enforcement. The use of less-lethal weapons at demonstrations has drawn renewed attention after reports of serious injuries, including permanent vision loss, linked to crowd-control munitions.
When and where
The temporary restraining order was issued by the US District Court in Oregon in January 2026, following legal action related to protests at the ICE building in Portland.
